
m 



jKSH 



H WMWwWr 

BBHWff 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Shelf .4-UlZ 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



OnMiiiFS 



OF 









■ V 

3Uu0tratefc. 




SEP 3 181 

,..jtA(.2&a> *-7j 






HEADING, PA.: 
PILGER BOOK STORE. 

(A. BENDEL). 









CONTENTS. 



I. THE APOSTOLIC ERA, 33—100. 



1. The Twelve Apostles. 

2. The Apostle Paul. 

3. The Apostles' Assistants and Co- 
laborers. 



The First Christians. 

The Destruction of Jerusalem. 



II. THE ERA OF PERSECUTION, 100—325. 



6. Under the Roman Emperors. 

7. Faithful unto Death. (Ignatius, 

Polycarp, Pothinus, Blandina, 
Perpetua, Laurentius, Cyrillus.) 



8. The Last Persecution. 

9. The Church in her Period of 

Bloom. 



III. 



THE ERA OF EXTERNAL QUI^T, 323—600. 

12. Monks and Hermits. 

13. The Gospel in Germany. 



10. The Emperor Constantine the 

Great. 

11. Controversies & Curch Fathers. 



IV. ERA OF THE CHURCH'S DECLINE, 600—1500. 



14. Mohammed. 622. 

15. The Papacy. 809. 

16. The Crusades. 1100. 



17. The Waldenses. 1100. 

18. Wyckliffe in England. 1400. 

19. John Huss in Bohemia. 1400. 



V. THE REFORMATION PERIOD, 1500—1648. 



20. Dr. Martin Luther, 1500. 

21. Indulgence and the 95 Theses. 

1517. 

22. The Diet at Worms. 1521. 

23. The Augsburg Confession. 1530. 

24. Luther's Domestic Life and 

Death. 1546. 



25. 

26. 

27. 

28. 



The Reformation in other Coun- 
tries. 

Assistants of the Reformation. 
Gustavus Adolphus and the 30 
Year's War. 
Church Song. 



29. 
30. 



VI. 

The Pietists 
Missions. 



THE MODERN ERA, 1648—1880. 

31. The Period of "Illumination." 

32. The Church in America. 

Religious Denominations. 

3 



33. 



* 



I. THE APOSTOLIC ERA. 

(A. D. 33-100.) 




1. THE TWELVE APOSTLES. 

OKTY DAYS after Easter, the day of resurrec- 
tion, our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
ascended into heaven. Before His ascension, He 
had given the command to His Apostles to go 
into all the world and preach the Gospel to every 
creature, to make disciples of all nations by bap- 
tizing and teaching them. Before beginning this work, however, 
they were to remain at Jerusalem, until the Holy Ghost, whom 
He had promised, should be poured out. This occurred on Pen- 
tecost, or Whitsun Day. Pentecost is therefore the birthday of 
the Church of Jesus Christ. The congregation, gathered on 
this day at Jerusalem, was the first Christian congregation upon 
earth. The Lord had chosen twelve Apostles, viz. : Peter, An- 
drew, James (the son of Zebedee), John, Philip, Bartholomew, 
Matthew, Thomas, James (the son of Alphseus), Simon Zelotes, 
Jude (also called Lebbseus) and Judas Iscariot. Judas, becoming 
an apostate by betraying the Lord, and dying a violent death, 
(see Mat. 27 : 3-5) the eleven chose Matthias to fill his place. 

The sermon of Peter on Pentecost penetrated into many hearts, 
so that three thousand became believers in Christ and were added 
to the Church by holy baptism. The Apostles now began to labor 
with great earnestness in accordance with the commission given 
them by the Lord (see Mat. 28: 19, 20; Mark 16: 15, 16; Acts 
1 : 8) and soon congregations were gathered in Judaea and Sama- 
ria and the surrounding countries. The vicissitudes in life and 
the fate of the Apostles is partly shrouded in mystery. 



1. Simon Peter was the son of a fisherman named Jonas, a native of 
the town of Bethsaida in Galilee. His name was originally simply Simon, 
but Jesus gave him the surname Peter, which means rock. He had at first 
become a disciple of John the baptizer, but when John pointed out Jesus 
as "the Lamb of God" in the presence of Andrew, Peter's brother, Andrew 
brought him to the Lord and they became His disciples (see John 1 : 35- 
42). Being afraid of the people, Peter denied his Lord in the night in 
which He was betrayed, but being sorry for his sin, the Lord graciously 
forgave him. He preached the first sermon on Pentecost, which led to 
the conversion of so many, and he continued for a time the head of the 
congregation at Jerusalem. Afterwards he preached the Gospel among 
the scattered Jews in Syria and Asia Minor. Fearless in danger, at all 
times ready to obey God rather than men, he preached the Gospel of the 
Crucified One, glad even to suffer reproach for the sake of Christ. In 
Csesarea he baptized Cornelius, the Roman centurion. He was cast into 
prison by Herod in Jerusalem, but the angel of the Lord delivered him in 
a miraculous manner. (See Acts 12: 4-11.) In the last year of his life 
he came to Rome where he suffered martyrdom by crucifixion under the 
Emperor Nero in the year A. D. 67 or 68. 

2. John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, was a son of the fisherman Zebe- 
dee, residing near the Sea of Gennesaret. He was the only one of the dis- 
ciples of our Lord who stood by the cross on Good Friday and witnessed 
His sufferings and death. He took Mary, the mother of Jesus, under his 
own care and protection, and afterwards went to Asia Minor and labored 
in Ephesus. The Emperor Domitian exiled him to Patmos — an island in 
the Mediterranean Sea — where he wrote the book of Revelation. Under the 
reign of the following emperor he returned to Ephesus, where he wrote the 
Gospel which bears his name. He died here A. D. 100 at the age of 94 
years. He is the only one of the apostles of whom it is positively known 
that he died a natural death. 

3. James the elder, was a brother of John. He was one of the three 
disciples (the others being Peter and John) who were present at the Lord's 
transfiguration and during His agony in Gethsemane. There is little 
known of his life and activity. He was killed with the sword by com- 
mand of King Herod at Jerusalem, A. D. 44. (See Acts 12 : 2.) 

4. James, the son of Alphseus, also spoken of as the Less, is said to have 
been, upon command of the high priest Ananus, cast from a pinnacle of 
the temple at Jerusalem, and afterwards beaten to death with a fuller's club. 

5. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, is said to have preached the 

6 



-4 



Gospel to the Scythians at the Black Sea, and to have suffered martyrdom 
by crucifixion at Patrae, in Achaia, 62 or 70, A. D. 

6. Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. He is said 
to have labored in Phrygia and to have died there at a good old age. 

7. Bartholomew, — which means, the son of Tholomai — whose name was 
also Nathanael, was a native of Cana, in Galilee. When he was brought to 
Christ by Philip, the Saviour testified to his character by saying : " Behold 
an Israelite, indeed, in whom there is no guile." (See John 1 : 17.) He is 
said to have preached the Gospel in India, and afterwards to have suffered 
martyrdom by being flayed alive. 

8. Thomas, who is called Didymus, i. e., twin, is also said to have done 
missionary work in India after laboring for some time in Persia. Ancient 
Christian congregations have been found in India who call themselves 
Thomas Christians. He also suffered martyrdom, being killed by a lance. 

9. Matthew, who at first was a publican named Levi, is the author of 
the Gospel according to St. Matthew. He labored for a number of years in 
Palestine, and afterwards is said to have preached the Gospel in Ethiopia 
and also in Persia. 

10. Simon the Canansean, or Zelotes, as he is also called, — because he 
had belonged to a sect called Zealots — was a native of Cana, in Galilee, and 
is said to have labored in Persia, where he suffered martyrdom by being 
crucified. 

11. Jude, called Lebbseus and also Thaddseus, is the author of the 
Epistle which bears his name. Nothing certain is known of the death 
of this Apostle. Tradition connects him with the founding of the Church 
at Edessa. 

12. Matthias, was chosen by the eleven to nil the place of the traitor 
Judas Iscariot. His life is hidden in obscurity. Having been with Christ 
from the beginning, according to Peter's testimony, (see Acts 1 : 21-23) he 
no doubt also labored in fulfilment of the Saviour's commission: "Go ye 
into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." 



2. THE APOSTLE PAUL. 

The name of Paul was originally Saul. He was not one of the 
twelve original Apostles, but was called of the Lord — after His 
ascension — to the office of apostle. Saul was born in Tarsus, in 

I 

T T 



M- 



the province of Cilicia, in Asia Minor. He received his educa- 
tion at Jerusalem, where he sat at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the 
most renowned Jewish teachers. He was a most zealous pharisee 
and violent enemy of the Christians. After the death of Ste- 
phen (see Acts 7: 54-83) he persecuted the Christians with 
great vehemence, but on the way to Damascus (see Acts 9: 1-19) 
he was wonderfully arrested in his work of destruction and con- 
verted unto Christ, after which he became the most energetic 
of the Lord's Apostles. He made three important missionary 
journeys, which are described in the "Acts." 

The First Journey (A. D. 48-50). Antioch, in Syria, was the scene 
of Paul's first labors. Here he, together with Barnabas (see Acts 13: 2-3), 
was specially called by the Holy Ghost for the work of carrying the Gos- 
pel to the Gentiles. In company with Barnabas and John — surnamed 
Mark — he set out from Antioch and went to the Island of Cyprus, where 
they began to proclaim the Gospel. They passed through the island and 
then sailed to the main land, and arrived at Perga, in Pamphylia, Asia 
Minor. Here John left them, and returned to Jerusalem, whilst Paul and 
Barnabas pursued their journey, visiting numerous cities and establishing 
churches. At Lystra, Paul was stoned almost to death. From Derbe they 
returned to Antioch (see Acts 14: 19-26). (The first Synod at Jerusalem, 
Acts 15.) 

The Second Missionary Journey (A. D. 51-54). From Antioch 
Paul again set out, taking Silas with him, and went to Asia Minor. At 
Lystra he took Timothy into his company. From Troas he sailed into 
Europe, where the first congregation was gathered at Philippi. (Lydia; 
The Jailor — see Acts 16: 11-34.) He passed through Greece and spent a 
year and a half at Corinth, after which he returned by way of Ephesus to 
Antioch. 

The Third Missionary Journey (A. D. 54-58). Paul, in company 
with Luke, Titus and Timothy, set out from Antioch for Ephesus, where 
he labored for two years and six months, and then journeyed into Greece. 
Here he exhorted and confirmed the churches. From here he returned by 
way of Miletus, where he took his departure from the elders at Ephesus, 
(see Acts 20: 17-38) to Jerusalem, where bonds and afflictions awaited him. 

The Journey to Rome, etc. (A. D. 60-63). In Jerusalem Paul was 
taken prisoner and was kept in confinement for two years in Caesarea. (See 
Acts chap. 24-26.)' Appealing unto Csesar, he was sent a prisoner to Rome, 
8 



f 

where he remained in confinement for two years longer, when he was set 
at liberty. After this it is supposed he visited Spain and other parts of the 
Roman Empire, when he was again apprehended, and after spending some 
time in prison, was executed by the sword under Nero (A. D. 68). From 
Rome he wrote a number of letters (Epistles) to the churches. 



3. THE APOSTLES' ASSISTANTS AND 
CO-LABORERS. 

Among the most important of the assistants and co-laborers 
with the Apostles, mentioned in the New Testament, were Bar- 
nabas, John Mark, Luke, Timothy, Titus, Silas and Apollos. 

Barnabas was a Levite from the Island of Cyprus. He preached with 
much power at Antioch and was Paul's companion during his first mission- 
ary journey. 

John Mark resided at Jerusalem. His mother's name was Mary, and 
her house was the place where the Christian congregation often assembled. 
He accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey, but left him when 
they reached Perga, and returned home. We find him, however, at a later 
period, with Paul in Rome. He wrote the Gospel which bears his name 
(St. Mark) under the direction of Peter, and is said to have died a martyr 
at Alexandria, in Egypt. 

Luke was a native of Antioch, by profession a physician, often styled 
the beloved physician. He accompanied Paul even into prison at Rome. 
He wrote the Gospel of "St. Luke" and the "Acts of the Apostles." 

Timothy was a native of Lystra. His father was a Greek, and hence a 
gentile or pagan. His mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois had taught 
him the Holy Scriptures. He was Paul's travelling companion, his most 
beloved scholar, most faithful co-laborer, and finally became bishop (that is, 
pastor) in Ephesus. Paul addressed two epistles to him, I. and II. Timothy. 

Titus was of gentile birth, but became a Christian through the influence 
and teaching of Paul, who consigned to him the supervision of the Church 
on the Island of Crete. Whilst there he received a letter from Paul — 
"the Epistle to Titus." He carried the Gospel to Dalmatia, where he la- 
bored for some years. Afterwards he returned to Crete, where he died at 
the age of ninety-four years. 

Silas, also called Sylvanus, was a teacher in Jerusalem. He was ap- 
pointed a delegate by the Synod held in Jerusalem (A. D. 51), to accom- 
10 



pany Paul and Barnabas to Antioch, with the decree of that body. He 
accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey and with him was im- 
prisoned at Philippi. We finally find him with the Apostle Peter (I. Pet. 
5: 12). 

Apollos, of Alexandria, was no doubt one of the most learned Christians 
of his time. At Ephesus he became acquainted with Aquilla and Priscilla, 
a Christian couple, who had been obliged to flee from Pome. By them he 
was more fully instructed in Christian knowledge. He labored for some 
time at Corinth, as is seen from I. Cor., 3 : 6. Nothing is definitely known 
of his later labors. It has been supposed by some that he is the author of 
the "Epistle to the Hebrews." 

Philip was one of the seven deacons chosen by the congregation at 
Jerusalem. (See Acts 6 : 1-6.) By the persecution which followed the 
martyrdom of Stephen, he was compelled to flee from Jerusalem. He 
preached the Gospel in Samaria and baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch. (See 
Acts 8). He labored in Ashdod and dwelt at Caesarea (Acts 21 : 9), where 
Paul and his company, on their way to Jerusalem, found shelter and rest 
for some days. 

Phoebe was a deaconess at Cenchrsea. She was the bearer of Paul's letter 
to the Romans. He praises and commends her for her labors of love. 
(See Eom. 16 : 1, 2.) 



4. THE FIRST CHRISTIANS. 

The first Christian Church was most intimately connected with 
the twelve men whom the Lord had chosen. The teaching of 
the Apostles was very simple. They testified to what they had 
seen and heard of Jesus, to His love, His sufferings, His death 
and resurrection. They exhorted all with the greatest earnest- 
ness, not to despise the salvation offered to them, to repent and to 
believe in Jesus. Daily there were added to the Church such 
as should be saved. The multitude of them that believed were 
of one heart and one mind. These first Christians constituted 
a true and pure congregation of believers, and proved by their 
walk that a change had taken place in them, that they were new 
creatures in Christ Jesus. Wealthy members of the Church sold 
their houses and lands, and put the money thus received into the 

» ii I 

f ♦ 



treasury to assist in supporting the poor and needy. Particu- 
lar men called Deacons were chosen to take charge of the alms 
and of their proper distribution. As long as the Apostles were 
present with the congregations they had sole charge of the office 
of teaching. They ordained special assistants to this office, who 
were called Elders or Bishops. Church discipline was exercised 
for the purpose of preserving pure doctrine and true Christian 
conduct. This was necessary, for even in apostolic times we 
see evidences of corruption. Hypocrisy (see Acts 5) and dis- 
cord (see Acts 6) crept into the mother congregation at Jeru- 
salem ; but the former was punished by the terrible judgment 
of God, and the latter was overcome by the exercise of true 
Christian love. Whoever openly gave offense and would not 
repent when admonished of his wickedness, was excluded from 
the congregation; on the other hand, such as were sorry for 
their sins were again restored. The public services of the Church 
were at first held in the halls of the temple, and afterwards 
in private houses. Every day they assembled to hear the Word 
preached and to unite in prayer. But especially on "the Lord's 
day," the day of the resurrection, (our Sunday), did they assem- 
ble with one accord, celebrating the holy Sacrament of the Lord's 
Supper and strengthening each other in the faith. They were 
called by the Jews "Nazarenes," because they believed in Jesus 
of Nazareth, and the Gentiles in Antioch gave them the name 
Christians, because they professed to be followers of Christ. 



5. THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM (A. D. 70). 

As the Gospel began to spread more and more, that which the 
Saviour had foretold His Disciples was fulfilled; the followers 
of Christ were persecuted by both the Jews and the Gentiles. 
Moreover, the other prophecy of our Lord, concerning the terrible 
judgments of God upon Jerusalem, was also fulfilled. 

The Jews regarded themselves as God's chosen people and de- 

12 j 

: . , ♦"«-« 



spised the Gentiles. Hence their being under Roman rule became 
to them more and more an intolerable burden which led to re- 
peated revolts. Finally a general uprising against the Roman 
power occurred. The Christians, being forewarned, fled to the 
town of Pella beyond Jordan. The Roman Emperor Nero sent 
General Vespasian with an army to Palestine, who soon sup- 
pressed the insurrection in Galilee and Samaria. 

When, after Nero's death, Vespasian was himself proclaimed 
Emperor by his army, he delivered up the chief command of the 
army to his son Titus. Titus besieged Jerusalem and demanded 
of the Jews to surrender, but was refused. As a very large num- 
ber of Jews had previous to the siege come to the city to celebrate 
the Passover, a most horrible famine soon ensued. On several 
occasions the humane Titus offered peace, but in vain, — the Jews 
were determined not to surrender. Thereupon he stormed and 
destroyed the city, and also the beautiful temple, which Titus de- 
sired to save, was burned to the ground. This occurred on the 
10th of August in the year A. D. 70. 

The prophecy of Christ was fulfilled. About one and a half 
millions of Jews were killed during the siege ; about one hundred 
thousand were sold into slavery, and many left their wasted 
fatherland. 

At a later period the Jews made still another attempt to throw 
off the Roman yoke. After about half a million of men had 
lost their lives, this revolt was also suppressed, and the Jews were 
forbidden, upon pain of death, to enter the Holy city, A. D. 132. 

Two hundred and thirty years after the time of this last upris- 
ing, the Emperor Julian, who was a bitter enemy of the Chris- 
tians, desired to frustrate the prophecy of our Lord concerning 
Jerusalem (Mat. 23 : 37, 38), by permitting the Jews to return 
and rebuild the temple; but the building was destroyed three 
times by earthquakes and fire. The Jews, terrified by the phe- 
nomena, were finally scattered abroad. 



14 




Triumphal Arch of Titus in the City of Rome. 



When, seventy years after Christ's birth, Jerusalem was destroyed by 
the Romans, Titus, the Roman General, carried away some of the sacred 
vessels of the temple, and caused them to be sculptured on the triumphal 
arch of stone which he erected on his return. There they are still to be 
seen as in the illustration above. The golden candlestick, the table of 
shew-bread and the trumpets can be distinctly recognized. 



II. THE ERA OF PERSECUTION. 

(A. D. 100—325.) 




6. UNDER THE ROMAN EMPERORS. 

;HE persecution of Christians by the heathen began 
as early as the year A. D. 64. Since the Chris- 
tians worshiped neither visible Gods, nor offered 
sacrifices, they were looked upon by the heathen 
as despisers of the gods. For this reason they 
were persecuted even by some of the best and 
noblest of the Emperors of the Roman Empire. 

The first persecution began under the Emperor Nero in the 
year 64. This bloodthirsty tyrant (A. D. 54 — 68), who had 
caused his tutor, his mother and his wife to be put to death, is 
said to have set fire to the city of Rome. The conflagration 
continued for nine days, and laid two-thirds of the city in ashes. 
When the bitterness of the excited populace was at its height, he 
threw the whole blame upon the Christians and persecuted them 
with diabolical fury. He conceived the most terrible tortures with 
which to punish them. Some were sewn into bags, covered with 
wax and pitch and fixed in the ground in long rows, and set on 
fire to light the way of the Emperor as he passed by. Others, 
similarly covered, were nailed to long sharp poles fixed in 
the imperial gardens, and set on fire to illumine them at night. 
Others were sewn into the skins of wild beasts and thrown to the 
dogs to be torn in pieces for the amusement of the people. The 
greater number of Christians willingly submitted to all this, 
being ready to yield up this miserable earthly existence that they 
might gain that which is eternal. This blood of the martyrs 

16 



V 



became the seed of the Church which was destined to yield a 
glorious harvest. 

Nero incurred, by his deeds of violence, the hatred of the Romans. In 
A. D. 68, a large portion of the army rose against him to make Galba em- 
peror. Finding himself almost entirely forsaken, he fled for concealment 
to a country seat about four miles from Rome. Here he learned that the Ro- 
man Senate had declared him to be an enemy of his country and condemned 
him to death. Upon receiving this startling intelligence he attempted sui- 
cide, but hesitated with fear. Hearing the clatter of hoofs and the noise of 
horsemen searching for him, he hurriedly placed a dagger to his throat and 
an attendant helped him to thrust it in. Thus ended the life of this miser- 
able man. 

Tespasian was one of Nero's successors. He reigned as Em- 
peror from A. D. 69-79. He embellished the city of Rome with 
magnificent buildings, among which is the Amphitheatre called 




The Colosseum at Rome. 



the Colosseum with seats for one hundred thousand spectators. 
This gigantic structure, long since in ruins, is still admired by 
all visitors to Rome. During the several persecutions many 
Christians here suffered death by being compelled to fight with 



17 



•4 



wild beasts in the presence of vast audiences, who took great de- 
light in witnessing such spectacles. At the least provocation, as 
well as in case of a public calamity, the cry of the heathen citi- 
zens was, " To the lions with the Christians." 

Ten great persecutions of Christians are recorded, viz., un- 
der the Emperors Nero, Domitian, Trajan and Hadrian, Marcus 
Aurelius, Septeminus Severus, Maximums, Decius, Valerianus, 
Aurelian and Diocletian. Lactantius writes (about A. D. 300) : 
"If I had a hundred tongues, and a hundred mouths and the 
most powerful voice in the world, it would still be impossible for 
me to describe all the deeds of violence which were committed, 
or to make mention of all the tortures which the ingenuity of the 
government contrived against the great mass of innocent Chris- 
tians." Men and women, young and old, maidens and matrons, 
persons of distinction, soldiers and mechanics, were compelled to 
suffer for the sake of Christ. Some secured the victor's crown by 
means of scourging and fire, others were at once executed by the 
sword, or after a brief period of torment. Everybody was at 
liberty to insult the Christians. Some struck them with clubs, 
others with rods ; they were beaten with thongs and ropes. Some- 
times Christians, with hands tied on their backs, were fastened to 
a wooden machine and all their limbs torn asunder. The torment- 
ors often lacerated the bodies of their victims with sharp nails. 
Others were hung up by one hand and all their joints wrenched 
apart ; still others were hung up in chains in such a manner that 
their feet could not touch the ground, in order that the chains might 
be continually drawn tighter by the weight of the body. The bodies 
of many, even after death had ended their sufferings, were dragged 
about on the ground by the maddened heathen. A Governor re- 
marked : " Let no one care for these Christians ! they do not de- 
serve human treatment." After a certain martyr had endured the 
rack, and been tormented with heated iron plates, the judge had 
him smeared over with honey, and with hands tied on his back 
laid in the hot sun to be tormented with flies. Sometimes ten, 

1 8 



thirty, sixty, and on one occasion one hundred men and women 
together with their children were executed, in various ways, in a 
single day. But the Christians suffered with the greatest stead- 
fastness and patience. Yea, many rejoiced and sang hymns of 
praise even with their last breath. It cannot be denied, how- 
ever, that some Christians, in their vain self-confidence, crowded 
themselves into the ranks of the martyrs, and many found it an 
easier matter to die for the Gospel, than to live according to its 
precepts. 

The efficient Emperor Trajan renewed the interdict against 
secret associations. This was soon applied to those of Christians. 
Finding, however, that a great number of persons were accused, 
who belonged to every rank and age, and to both sexes, and partly 
convinced that Christianity was morally pure and politically harm- 
less, he commanded that Christians should not be sought out, and 
that no notice should be taken of anonymous accusations, but that 
if parties were formally accused and found guilty, they should be 
put to death if they obstinately refused to sacrifice to the gods. 
In accordance with this command, Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, 
at the advanced age of 120 years, was cruelly scourged for several 
days in succession, and, because he would not forsake Christ, put 
to death by crucifixion. (A. D. 107.) 

We will yet look at several examples of those Christians, who 
by their cruel death gave joyful testimony concerning Christ. 



7. FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. 

1. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, a pupil of the Apostle John 
and an aged man, was put to death under Trajan. On one occa- 
sion he testified before the Emperor that the gods of the heathen 
are nothing, and that there is but one God who created heaven 
and earth, and only one Saviour, the only begotten Son of God. 
Upon command of the Emperor he was sent in chains to Rome, 
there to atone for his faith in the Crucified One by suffering death. 

19 



He writes in one of his letters : " On the whole way from Syria 
to Rome I fought with wild beasts, being tied to ten leopards 
(soldiers) who, the more I sought to do them good, were all the 
more filled with madness against me. Neverthless, though they 
cast me into the fire or to the wild beasts, though they nail me to 
the cross or tear all my limbs asunder, what does it all amount 
to if I can only enjoy Jesus!" In Rome he was thrown before 
wild beasts. When he heard the lions roaring he said, "I am 
Christ's grain of wheat which must first be crushed by the teeth 
of wild beasts before it can become pure bread." The lions soon 
finished their work. The few bones which remained were buried 
in Antioch (A. D. 116). 

2. Polycarp, a pupil of the Apostle John was bishop in 
Smyrna. The heathen populace clamorously demanded his 
death on the plea that he was the misleader of all the people. 
Upon the urgent request of his friends he retired to a country 
seat. Here, surrounded by his friends, he spent his time in 
prayer day and night to the Lord. When the deputies discov- 
ered him he said: "The Lord's will be done." He spoke kindly 
to them, and commanded that food and drink be set before them. 
They then brought him into the city of Smyrna. The proconsul, 
being deeply impressed with the venerable appearance of Po- 
lycarp now ninety years of age, said to him : " Think of your 
great age ; give honor to the gods, swear by the Emperor, curse 
Christ, and I will set you free ! " But Polycarp replied : " Eighty- 
and-six years have I served Him, and He never did me wrong ; 
and how can I now blaspheme my King and Saviour?" The 
governor threatened him with every manner of torture ; but he 
replied : " Do whatever may be your pleasure." The judge now 
made proclamation : " Polycarp has confessed that he is a Chris- 
tian." The people fairly roared with madness : " Polycarp to the 
lions." The judge, however, condemned him to be burned at 
the stake. Upon his own request, Polycarp was not, as was cus- 
tomary, tied to the stake. With folded hands he stood erect close 
20 



♦ 

■♦■♦ 



to the stake and praised 
Almighty God, the 
Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, that he 
was deemed worthy to 
have a part in the cup 
of suffering of His Son. 
But it seemed as if the 
fire refused to touch this 
faithful confessor. The 
i flames rose about him 
on every side like a sail 
filled by the wind. Be- 
coming impatient on 
this account, a soldier 
thrust him through with 
a sword and threw his 
body into the fire (A. 
D. 166). Poly carp was 
held in such high esteem 
by his fellow Christians, 
for his almost perfect 
graces of character, that 
the Jews (who had been 
particularly zealous in 
gathering wood and 
straw to burn him) in- 
stigated the proconsul 
not to give up the corpse of the martyr to his co-religionists, " lest 
abandoning Him that was crucified, they should begin to worship 
this one;" this clearly shows his Christ-like character. 

3. Pothinus. Already at an early period numerous congre- 
gations of Christians flourished in southern France. With com- 
merce and trade the Gospel also was carried thither from Asia 

21 




(Poly carp.) 



4- 



Minor, and took root particularly in Lyons and Vienne on the 
Rhone. Pothinus was bishop of Lyons, and his successor was 
Irenseus. During the reign of Marcus Aurelius in the year 177, 
persecution began to rage against these congregations. The most 
distinguished individuals were seized without any previous warn- 
ing and cast into prison. Bishop Pothinus, who was ninety years 
of age, was so terribly abused by the kicks and stoning and other 
ill-treatment of the exasperated heathen, that he died after two 
days imprisonment. 

4. Blaildilia, a slave, having a constitution so delicate that 
even the Christians doubted whether she would have strength to 
remain steadfast, was tormented from morning till night with 
every conceivable manner of torture, so that at last the torment- 
ors themselves became exhausted, and declared they could not 
conceive of any new torture to apply, and that they could not 
comprehend how she could continue to live, as her whole body 
was torn and lacerated. But the Lord mightily strengthened 
her so that she could continue to confess : " I am a Christian, and 
the wickedness which is imputed to Christians is slander." 

5. SanctllS, a deacon, was also most barbarously tortured ; 
but, strengthened by Christ, he replied over and over again : "I 
am a Christian!" Exasperated at this, his tormentors caused 
iron plates to be fastened to the most sensitive parts of his body 
and heated red hot. Although his body presented one vast 
wound and was so distorted as no longer to resemble the human 
form, he remained faithful in his confession. Several days later, 
his body, all inflamed and much swollen and most painfully sen- 
sitive to the slightest touch, was tormented anew. But even this 
could not move him ; on the other hand, by this second torture 
his body again assumed its natural form. 

6. Perpetua. About this time a number of Christians were 
also imprisoned in Carthage. Among these was Perpetua, a 
woman of noble birth, twenty-two years of age, whose babe had 
been torn from her breast, and a slave named Felicitas. Perpe- 



f- 









tua's father was a pagan who did everything in his power to shake 
her resolution. Finally he visited her in prison and addressing 
her, said : " Have pity, my daughter, upon my gray hair ! Have 
pity upon your father, if ever I have been worthy of that name ! 
Have pity upon your child which cannot outlive you ! Relent 
from the position you have taken, for if you are put to death, we 
will be disgraced before all the people." He kissed her hands, 
cast himself at her feet and called her no more his daughter, but 
his commander, the mistress of his fate. What courage does it 
not require in the Name of Him whom we are to love more than 
father or mother to resist such affectionate appeals ! Perpetua and 
Felicita were cast before a wild cow, and received the death-blow 
at the hands of a gladiator, A. D. 202. 

7. LaurentillS. Persecution raged furiously during the reign 
of the Emperor Decius, 249 — 251 ; yet in spite of the persecution, 
the Church prospered. Decius fell in battle. His successor en- 
deavored, first of all, to get rid of the clergy. The Governor in 
Rome was informed that the Christian congregation was in the 
possession of untold riches. He summoned the deacon Lauren- 
tius before him and demanded from him the treasures of the 
Church. Laurentius replied : " Let me have a little time that I 
may bring all in proper order and to mark them one by one." 
The Prefect then allowed him three days. On the third day 
Laurentius gathered together all the poor who received their 
support from the congregation, brought them to the Prefect and 
said : " Come and see the treasures of our God : the whole court 
is full of vessels of gold." The Prefect went out, and seeing only 
poor people in the court he cast upon Laurentius a look of anger. 
"What is it that displeases you?" said Laurentius. "The gold 
which you so eagerly desire is only miserable metal which entices 
to all manner of crime ; the true gold is the Light of which these 
poor people are disciples. These are the treasures which I prom- 
ised you ; and, behold, here also are precious stones : these vir- 
gins and widows are the crown of the Church." "Are you 

23 



mocking me?" cried the Prefect. "I know ye take pride in 
despising death, therefore you shall not die suddenly." He 
now commanded that. Laurentius be stripped of his clothing 
and fastened on a grid-iron to be roasted alive over a slow fire. 
After he had lain for a considerable time with one side exposed 
to the fire, he said to the Prefect : " Have me turned around, as 
my one side is sufficiently roasted." When turned he looked to- 
ward heaven, prayed for the inhabitants of Rome, and gave up 
the ghost, A. D. 258. 

8. Cyrillus. We will also relate how even children patiently 
suffered and died for the sake of Christ. Cyrillus was a youth 
of Csesarea, who constantly called upon the name of Jesus, and 
would not suffer himself to be prevented, by threats and beat- 
ing, from loudly confessing his faith. Some of the children of 
his own age persecuted him, and his own father drove him from 
home. The judge sent for him and said: "My child, I will for- 
give you, and your father shall again receive you into the family ; 
it is in your power to be your father's heir, if you are wise and 
consider your best interests." The boy replied, "I suffer will- 
ingly, God will receive me; I am not sad that I was driven 
from home, for I will receive a better dwelling place. I do not 
fear death, for it only brings me to a better life." Having made 
this good confession he was bound and taken to the place of ex- 
ecution. The judge had secretly given orders that he should be 
brought back again, for he hoped that a sight of the fire would 
conquer his determination. Cyrillus, however, remained unmoved. 
When he was brought back the judge, moved with pity, began 
his representations anew. But the youthful martyr replied : 
" Neither your fire nor your sword can harm me, for I am going 
to a better home, kill me quickly that I may soon be there." 
When he saw those present weeping, he said: "You should 
rather rejoice ; but you know nothing of the city to which I go." 
Thus, unmoved, he went to meet death, to the astonishment of all 
the people, A. D. 260. 

24 



8. THE LAST PERSECUTION. 

The most violent of all the persecutions came upon the Chris- 
tians during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian and his asso- 
ciate rulers, A. D. 303, after a rest of about forty years had pro- 
duced considerable effeminacy among them. The number of 
Christians had increased to such an extent that the Emperor 
feared a revolt if he should interdict their faith. But his son-in- 
law and colleague Galerius prevailed upon him to command that 
all soldiers in the army should take part in the sacrifices, — a 
measure by which he obliged all Christians to leave the ranks. 
Some time afterwards an edict was issued which forbade all 
Christian meetings, and ordered that the churches be pulled 
down, the sacred writings destroyed, all Christians deprived of 
their offices and civil rights, and that all who would remain ob- 
stinate in their profession of Christianity should be threatened 
with torture and death. The result of this was that there were 
many who proved faithless, but on the other hand there were 
many wonderful examples of steadfastness. In Asia Minor fif- 
teen thousand Christians were slain in the short space of one 
month, a whole city, together with its inhabitants was destroyed 
by fire. It is said that in Egypt 140,000 Christians were exe- 
cuted, and that 700,000 died miserably in prison. Eusebius saw 
such a large number executed in one day that the executioners 
became exhausted and their bloody instruments were dulled. 

Pancratius was the son of a noble Eoman who died as a witness for 
Christ. When the son, who was but sixteen years of age, also confessed 
himself to be a Christian, he was scourged until the blood flowed, and was 
then brought to the Emperor Diocletian, who expressed sympathy for the 
lad. But, in spite of all threats on the one hand and all promises on the 
other, Pancratius remained unwavering in his faith. On the 12th of May, 
305, more than one hundred Christians were cast to the lions in the am- 
phitheatre at Rome. At last Pancratius was also brought forward ; the 
ground of the amphitheatre was covered with blood and corpses, but he re- 
remained steadfast. At this moment a form was seen pressing hastily 
through the crowd. It was his mother, Lucina, who desired once more to 

25 

=«-»♦-—— _^ — 

♦ 




Pancratius. 



see and bless her child. "Farewell, mother," said he, "we will see each 
other again in the presence of the Lord Jesus." She laid her hand upon 
his head and took her leave. Immediately the doors were closed and he 
stood alone. A gate was opened and a ferocious tiger sprang wildly into 
26 



♦ . ♦ 

HM" ' ■* M 

the arena and circled arouna nis uooty. i*ancratius raised his eyes to 
Heaven in prayer; the tiger made a spring, the youthful martyr lay 
prostrate on the ground and his blood stained the white sand, A. D. 305. 



~U 



9. THE CHURCH IN HER PERIOD OF BLOOM. 

Toward the close of the first century the Gospel had already 
spread from India to Spain, and from the desert of Africa to the 
Danube. At that time the number of Christians is estimated at 
about half a million, and the number was increased greatly from 
year to year. The Apostles had gone to their reward, hence 
their tongues were silent, but their word remained. They con- 
tinued to speak in their sacred writings which had become a 
legacy to the Church. As God had inspired the Prophets to 
write the Old Testament Scriptures, He also enlightened the 
Apostles and Evangelists with His Holy Spirit to write the 
New, so that the pure and infallible Word of God might re- 
main throughout all time. 

From the time of the Apostles a chain of glorious teachers ex- 
tended through the first few centuries of the Christian era. 
Among these was Clement, bishop of Rome, who died A. D. 
100; Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, died 115; Polycarp, bishop of 
Smyrna, died 155; Justin the Martyr, died 165; Irenseus, bishop 
of Lyons, died 202; Tertullian, elder in Carthage, died 220; 
Origen, teacher in Alexandria, died 254; Cyprian, bishop of 
Carthage, died 258. These, together with many other men of 
God were busily engaged in spreading the Gospel, either by 
preaching, or by their writings. The utmost care was taken to 
observe unity and purity of doctrine. Numerous errorists and 
fanatics arose at different periods (Gnostics, Manichseans, Mon- 
tanists, etc.), who had to be vanquished to save the Church from 
corruption. Even such men as Origen and Tertullian were not 
altogether free from erroneous views. 

The new life of the Christians was manifested in a godly walk. 

27 



4+ 4. 

Love for the brethren impelled them to sustain the poor. The 
congregations realized that they were bound together as one 
brotherhood. The sick were carefully nursed, even if thereby 
the life of the attendants was endangered. When the heathen 
began to observe this, they were utterly astonished and said: 
"See how they love each other." As members of Christ, the 
Christians refrained from the practices of the heathen ; they espe- 
cially shunned all public amusements, dancing and the theatre. 
Whenever they would engage in any important undertaking, 
they at first consecrated themselves with the Word of God and 
prayer. They took pleasure in decorating their houses, furniture 
and implements with Christian symbols, as for example, a shep- 
herd with a lamb, a dove, a fish, an anchor, a ring, a palm tree — 
all of which had some religious signification — and above all the 
symbol of the cross. After they were permitted to build churches, 
they usually buried their dead about the church, as they desired 
to have them as near as possible to the sanctuary. Notwithstand- 
ing some deviations, the Christian congregation of those times 
present to us in the main a glorious picture of faith. The storms 
which raged around it, caused the tree to become more and more 
firmly rooted. Whilst the heathen were speaking of Christianity 
as already destroyed, God spake — and there was peach 




28 



T" : *r 



III. THE ERA OF EXTERNAL QUIET. 

(A. d. 323-600.) 




10. THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE THE GREAT, 

312-337. 

[HE Church had been compelled to bear the re- 
proach of the world for the space of three hun- 
dred years, when Constantine, called the Great, 
ascended the imperial throne. His father, Con- 
stantius Chlorus, previous to his death in 306, 
proclaimed him his successor in the empire. He 
at first ruled only in Britain, Gaul and Spain. The same year 
in which he was proclaimed Emperor, 312, Maxentius, a savage 
and bigoted heathen, in Italy, seized the reigns of government. 
Having obtained a pretext, Maxentius declared war against Con- 
stantine and prepared to invade Gaul, when Constantine at once 
set out at the head of a large and well disciplined army, and 
marched into Italy. Being troubled in heart, he turned to 
the God of the Christians, of whom he had heard much from his 
Christian mother Helena. He prayed to the Lord for victory. 
Whilst the Emperor was on the march with his army, suddenly, 
on a clear afternoon when the sun was yet high in the heavens, 
there appeared in the sky a flaming cross with the superscription 
in characters of fire: toutw vixa (in this conquer). In the follow- 
ing night the. Lord commanded him in a dream to make the ban- 
ner of the cross his standard. He did so, and under this banner 
he conquered his pagan adversary who had gathered together the 
forces of heathenism for a last despairing struggle. In the same 
year in which this conqueror was himself conquered by the Lord, 

29 j 

T 



♦ 

he issued an edict in which he gave liberty to all forms of worship, 
and in the following year, by a second edict he expressly allowed 
conversion to Christianity. In 323, Constantine, having defeated 
Lucinus, who had ruled as Emperor in the East, became the 
sole ruler in the great Roiria Empire, and now openly professed 
himself a Christian. He did not seek utterly to uproot heathen- 
ism by force, although he ordered the demolishing of a number 
of pagan temples, especially such in which the heathen w T orship 
was connected with other wanton sins. Having an aversion to 
the City of Rome, in which heathenism still largely predomi- 
nated, he removed the seat of government to Byzantium, which 
city was called after his own name, Constantinople. He, and espe- 
cially his mother Helena, endeavored, by the building of churches, 
to draw the people more and more away from the heathen tem- 
ples to the worship of the true God. In numerous instances the 
old deserted temples were transformed into Christian churches. 
Christians were now promoted to high offices in the kingdom, and 
no imperial officer was permitted to offer sacrifice. In this man- 
ner he again gathered the scattered flock, returned to the Church 
the property, which his predecessor had confiscated, installed 
bishops and teachers, and overwhelmed them with benefits. It 
is quite natural that now the number of such increased who 
became Christians only in name ; and many, utterly destitute of 
faith, thought, that by hypocritically feigning Christianity, they 
might speedily rise to honorable positions. 

Although the Emperor was most heartily in sympathy with 
Christianity, it still did not effect a thorough change of heart in 
him, and it was only shortly before his death that he was baptized. 
He died soon after this event, on Whitsun Day, 337, with humble 
confidence in the mercy of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
During the reign of Constantine there was peace throughout the 
Church, from the Atlantic to the Indus, and from the Scottian 
Alps to the mountains of Abyssinia. 

30 

r 



*l* 



-A 



Julian, the Apostate. — After the death of Constantine, his sons divided 
the empire among them. Although Christians in name, their conduct was 
altogether contrary to the principles of Christianity. After the last of 
them had died, A. D. 361, Julian, a nephew of Constantine, ascended the 
throne. In order that none of the relatives of Constantine might aspire to the 
crown, his sons had caused them all to be put to death, except Julian, who 
was yet a child, and was spared with the design that he should be trained 
up for the Christian ministry. His training and education was given into 
the hands of some ignorant monks, who, instead of acquainting him with the 
glorious character of Christianity, compelled him to repeat psalms in Latin 
and to do all manner of penance. In this manner Julian was taught to 
despise a doctrine, which seemed designed more to afflict than to comfort 
mankind. This led him to listen with all the greater avidity to the instruc- 
tion of several shrewd heathen philosophers, who pictured to him Paganism 
in most lovely forms and dazzling colors, and flattered him with the repre- 
sentation that he was called again to restore the old religion to its former 
magnificence in the empire. Whilst at the court of his uncle, Julian ap- 
peared to be a very pious monk, but he had scarcely ascended the throne, 
when he renounced Christianity and again embraced heathenism. 

Immediately everything was again changed. Everywhere the Christians 
were removed from office, the churches were again transformed into heathen 
temples, heathen festivals and sacrifices were again instituted, and the 
Church property was confiscated and divided among the soldiers. 

It was not Julian's purpose openly to persecute the Christians, for he had 
learned to know that persecution had only aided all the more the spread 
of Christianity ; he designed by more cunning measures to undermine and 
crush it. For this purpose he encouraged, as far as he could, schisms in 
the Church, favored all heretics and sects, especially the Arian heresy, so 
that the Christians might themselves destroy their cause by their dissen- 
sions. He forbade Christians to become teachers or to engage in any 
science, in order either to bring them into disrepute because of their ignor- 
ance, or to compel them to be educated by heathen teachers. 

Over against this he sought to elevate and improve paganism. He ex- 
horted the heathen philosophers to diligence, virtue and charity. "The 
Galileans," said he, "have gained a victory over the ancient religion, by 
their zeal, their beneficence toward their poor and their kindness even to 
strangers ; in all these things you must now strive to excel them ! " It was 
indeed an easy matter to command this, but there lay no power in pagan- 
ism to train up men to do it. Julian was able to tie good fruits to a corrupt 

31 



tree, but to enable the tree to produce them it was necessary, first of all, to 
change its entire nature and make it good. 

Fortunately, the reign of this dangerous enemy to Christianity lasted only 
twenty months. In an expedition against the Persians he received a mor- 
tal wound and died at the early age of thirty-two years. As he sank from 
his horse, he raised his clenched fist — streaming with blood — heavenward 
and exclaimed with rage : " And yet Thou hast conquered, O Galilean ! " 



11. CONTROVERSIES AND CHURCH FATHERS. 

The Church had scarcely secured rest from the assaults of ex- 
ternal enemies when the most heretical and destructive doctrines 
were openly advocated, threatening its destruction from within. 
As early as the time of Constantine, a presbyter named Arius at- 
tacked the doctrine of the divinity of Christ. 

Arius, from A. D. 313, a Presbyter in Alexandria, denied the eternal 
Godhead of Christ, and soon gained many adherents. In order to settle the 
controversy which this error called forth, and again to unite in the true 
faith the now distracted Church, Constantine summoned the First Gen- 
eral Church Council at Nicsea, in Asia Minor, A. D. 325. This coun- 
cil was attended by 318 bishops ; it excommunicated Arius from the Chris- 
tian Church ; it confessed as the faith of the Church the Nicene Creed, in 
which it is distinctly stated that : " Jesus Christ is very God of very God, 
begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father." This, how- 
ever, did not settle the controversy. In 336 Arius was to be restored to 
Church communion, when he suddenly died a terrible death, the evening 
before the day of his restoration. The controversy was not ended until the 
Second General Council, held at Constantinople in 381. 

Athanasius, bishop at Alexandria (326-373), was the most noted oppo- 
nent of Arianism. For this reason he was banished ten times, and lived for 
twenty years in exile. The third confession of the Church was called after 
this great man of God, The Athanasian Creed. 

We can only briefly mention some of the other heresies by which 
the Church was troubled. 

Nestorius, a monk of Antioch, and a most eloquent man, became Patri- 
arch of Constantinople in the year 428. He laid so much stress upon 
Christ's human nature as to make it appear that He was only man, who, 
32 



♦ ♦ 



however, stood in a peculiar relation to God. Nestorius was condemned 
and excommunicated. He retired to a monastery, from which he was 
afterwards driven and banished to an oasis in upper Egypt. He died in 
misery, A. D. 440. 

PelagiliS was a British monk who, in the year 409, resided in Rome, 
where he advanced the doctrine that there is no such thing as Original 
Sin ; that every individual can lead a sinless life and save himself by his 
own efforts, without the Grace of God. His most powerful opponent was 
the learned Bishop Augustine. 

Augustine was born in Numidia in the year 354. His father, Patricius, 
was a pagan, but Monica, his mother, was a pious Christian woman. His 
father was very anxious that he should become a fine scholar, and conse- 
quently he was sent to school at Medaura, and afterwards at Carthage to 
complete his studies. Previous to this, however, he had enjoyed the ines- 
timable blessing of a Christian education at home. His mother had been 
his best teacher. But the temptations of Carthage were too strong for his 
ardent, impetuous nature, and in spite of the entreaties and admonitions 
of his mother, he sank deeper and deeper into the sensualism of a corrupt 
world. But he had no peace ; a conflict began in his soul which continued 
through eleven years of his life. The longing for a higher life, and the 
power of a mother's importunate prayers gave him no rest. For a few 
years he was a teacher in Carthage, after which, A. D. 383, he went to Rome, 
followed by the tears, the prayers and the anxieties of his excellent mother, 
who was not yet bereaved of hope, for both her faith and her love were 
strong. After a short stay he left Rome and proceeded to Milan, where he 
became a teacher of rhetoric. There he formed the acquaintance of the 
learned and devout Bishop Ambrose, whose sermons made a deep impres- 
sion upon him, so that he now began diligently to study the Bible. The 
struggle in his heart became more violent. When on one occasion he was 
alone in the garden praying, whilst burning tears expressed his inward 
agony, he heard the words : " Take and read." Augustine recognized in 
this a Divine call; he opened the Bible and found the passage Rom. 13: 13. 
Deeply moved by these words, his heart was filled with blessed peace, his 
faith increased more and more, and he was baptized by Ambrose, April 
25th, 387. His faithful mother, who for years had borne him on her heart 
in earnest prayer, had followed him to Milan and lived to see the day when 
she could rejoice in the salvation of her son. Augustine now returned to 
his home, where he was ordained a presbyter in 391, and was soon after- 
wards elected bishop. He died in 430. More than a thousand years later, 
3 33 



JL. 



a pious Augustinian monk — Luther — read in his cloister cell the works 
of Augustine, and acknowledged that next to the Holy Bible, he learned to 
recognize the true doctrine of the Gospel from those writings. 

We must yet call attention to several of the men of superior 
faith of those times, because through their efforts the destruction 
which threatened the Church was delayed for a time. They were 
Ambrose of Milan, Chrysostom of Constantinople, Jerome of Beth- 
lehem, Basil the Great (329-379) of Csesarea, and Gregory Nazi- 
anzen (390). 

Ambrose (340-397) was the son of a Eoman governor in Gallia. His 
mother, having become a widow, moved to Rome, where her son received 
a liberal education. He went to Milan in order to follow the legal profes- 
sion. He soon distinguished himself so much that he was appointed gov- 
ernor. When the bishop of Milan died in the year 374, there arose a vio- 
lent contest concerning the choice of a successor. When the people were 
assembled in the church to elect a new bishop, Ambrose, in the character 
of Governor of the place, entered the assembly, and in a grave, eloquent 
and pathetic address admonished the multitude to lay aside their con- 
tentions and proceed to the election in the spirit of Christian meekness. 
When Ambrose had finished his address, a child cried out: " Ambrose is 
bishop." The agitated multitude regarded this as the voice of God, and 
he was unanimously elected. He resisted the offer, but in vain. He dis- 
tributed his property among the poor. All who came to him for counsel 
or assistance he kindly received and aided according to his ability. But, 
although he was of such a gentle and tender-hearted disposition, he joined 
with it a firmness which neither the fear of men nor threats and danger 
could shake. The Emperor Theodosius, being enraged at the rebellious 
Thessalonians, had caused seven thousand of them to be cruelly massacred. 
For this Ambrose excommunicated him until he had publicly repented. 
The Emperor attempting to enter the church, Ambrose appeared at the 
door and refused him admittance. Thereupon the sovereign laid off his 
mantle and falling upon his face bemoaned his sin. After eight months 
of severe penance Ambrose restored him to full communion. Ambrose was 
also a poet. He is the author of the hymn "Come Thou Saviour of our Race" 
and the Te Deum Laudamus^sometimes called the Hymn of St. Ambrose — 
is attributed to him. He died on Good Friday, 397. 

Jerome, of Dalmatia (331-420), was born of Christian parents. He re- 
34 



ceived a liberal education in Rome. Whilst there, it is said, he, on one 
occasion, dreamed he was standing before the judgment seat of God. This 
so startled him that he fled from Rome and lived for some years the life of 
a hermit in the desert of Chalcis, spending his time in penitential exer- 
cises and in study. The last twenty-five years of his life he spent at Beth- 
lehem, the birthplace of Jesus. Here he performed the great literary 
labors of his life. He wrote numerous books and translated the Bible into 
Latin. This version of the Holy Scriptures is called the " Vulgate," and is 
still extant. Jerome is universally regarded as the most learned of the 
Latin fathers. He died Sept. 30th, 420. 

Chrysostom. The name of this Church father was originally John, 
but from the splendor of his eloquence he received the name Chrysostomos 
(which is Greek, and means "Goldenmouth"). He was born at Antioch, 
A. D. 347. In 397 he was elevated to the position of Patriarch in the Im- 
perial city of Constantinople, where he fearlessly preached the Gospel. 
His eloquence and earnestness attracted the multitude so that the number 
of his hearers increased to ten thousand. The faithful discharge of his 
official duties, especially his earnest reproof of the prevalent vices, excited 
the enmity of the Empress, who succeeded in deposing and banishing him 
from the capital. He afterwards labored in Nicsea, but was from thence re- 
moved to a little town in the Taurus Mountains. His zeal, however, did 
not abate ; he labored for the conversion of the Persians and Goths in the 
neighborhood. The Emperor, enraged by the general sympathy expressed 
towards Chrysostom by all true Christians, gave orders that he should be 
banished to a desolate region on the Black Sea. This journey proved fatal. 
He died on the way, Sept. 14th, 407, and his last words were: "Blessed be 
God for all things." 



Much could be said concerning many other faithful servants 
of Christ. On the other hand the number of those who were 
without principle in conducting the affairs of their high office 
was also large. As early as the IV. Century it became necessary 
for Church Councils by proper punishment to counteract the 
grossest vices among Christians. In the V. Century the greater 
portion of Christendom, the same as at the present time, had 
little more than the Christian name. Hence general decline 
and the just punishment of God followed. 

35 



12. MONKS ANT> HERMITS. 

Hermits, i. e., men leading a solitary life in some secluded 
place, were already found in eastern countries previous to the 
time of Christ. In the Christian Church they appeared first of 
all in Egypt, where St. Antonius became an example for thous- 
ands, until the deserts of Egypt were literally peopled with her- 
mits. These men generally were weary of the ways of the 
world, and retired into solitude to lead a contemplative life. 
They believed, that here, by prayer and labor, amidst want and 
self-denial, and often self-torture, they could arrive at a peculiar 
state of holiness which they deemed it impossible to attain in 
the midst of a corrupt world. St! Antonius, born at Coma in 
Egpyt, A. D. 251, gave all his goods to the poor and retired into 
the desert, where he spent his life in exercising the strictest and 
most self-denying penance. Persons of all ranks made pilgrim- 
ages to him to consult him in search of comfort and peace, and 
to receive his blessing. He died, A. D. 356, at the age of 105 
years. The hermits or anchorites were called Monks. At a 
somewhat later period, numbers of these monks were gathered 
together into a large building which was called a cloister or 
monastery. The president of these monasteries was called the 
Abbot (from abbas — father). The number of monasteries in- 
creased immensely. Monastic life was extoled as angelic and 
regarded as a substitute for martyrdom which was no longer 
attainable. 

The most perverted saints of those times were the Stylites — also 
called Pillar Saints — named after one Symeon Stylites (about 
420), who lived for thirty years, in the neighborhood of Antioch, 
on a pillar thirty-six yards high and from thence preached to the 
people, who came in crowds to see and hear him. 

Such eminent bishops as Basil the Great (died 378), and other 
vigilant men, made earnest efforts to correct the abuses of monas- 
ticism and to furnish the monks with useful employment. They 
gave them positive laws and rules, and employed them in in- 

36 



structing the young, nursing the sick, etc. At first monasticism 
prevailed only in the East, the Western Church being opposed 
to monastic tendencies. Athanasius, however, introduced it in 
the West (Europe) also. In the year 529, Benedict of Nursia 
founded a monastery near Naples ; these monks were called 
Benedictines. In later years many other orders of monks were 
established, among which may be mentioned the Carthusians 
(founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084), Cistercians (founded 
1098), Franciscans (founded about 1210), Dominicans (founded 
1215), Augustinians (founded 1256), Capuchins (1528) and 
Jesuits (founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1534). For women 
also, cloisters, called nunneries, were established. At the head of 
these is the Abbess or Lady Superior. During the middle ages 
the most wicked perversion of morals was to be found in these 
monasteries. In numerous instances the monastery and nunnery 
were under the same roof or were connected by a tunnel so that 
the inmates could pass unobserved from the one to the other. 



13. THE GOSPEL IN GERMANY. 

At an early period the Gospel found its way beyond the 
boundaries of the Roman Empire. Christian merchants, trad- 
ing in distant countries, and prisoners of war carried it to more 
remote regions. Thus it was also brought to our forefathers, the 
old Germanic tribes. They were pagans and had their places of 
sacrifice where stood the altar on which human victims were of- 
fered. Already in the second century we find small congrega- 
tions of Christians at Strassburg, Trier and Augsburg composed 
of such who had emigrated from the Roman Empire. Previous 
to the year 300 the Goths on the Black Sea had come under the 
influence of Christianity. Bishop Ulfilas (a name which means 
"Little Wolf"), who labored with great zeal among them, desir- 
ing that his people should have access to the Word of God, trans- 
lated the Bible into the Gothic language. This was the first 

37 



translation of the Bible into a German dialect. During the mi- 
gration of nations, which began in 375 and continued for two 
hundred years, Christianity came into contact with all the differ- 
ent European nations. When in the year 486 the Franks in- 
vaded Gaul, they were yet pagans but Clovis (Chlodwig), their 
king, had been made acquainted with the Christian religion by 
his pious wife Chlotilde. He, however, still clung to his ancient 
pagan religion until the year 496 when, in a battle near Zulpich 
the enemies seemed to have victory in their grasp, he, in direst 
need — because surrounded by his foes — called upon the God of 
the Christians, saying: "O Christ, God of my Chlotilda, if thou 
wilt bestow victory on me, I will believe and be baptized, provid- 
ing always that thou, whom I now call upon, wilt rescue me from 
the hands of my foes." He was victorious and after his return 
home, he, together with three thousand of his Franks, was bap- 
tized. About this time the Church was in a prosperous condition 
in Ireland ; religious education was abundantly provided for by 
numerous monasteries and schools. This country also furnished 
missionaries for Germany. Missionary labor among the Ger- 
mans was actually begun by Columbanus (590), although Boni- 
facius acquired for himself the title, "Apostle of the Germans." 

Columbanus was born in Ireland about the year 550. In 590 he left 
the Monastery of Bangor, together with twelve youths whom he was train- 
ing, and went over into France where he founded numerous monasteries, 
giving great attention to the instruction of old and young. After laboring 
here for twelve years he incurred the displeasure of the French bishops, 
and a few years later he was expelled from France, because he had the 
courage boldly to rebuke the Court for the vices and crimes entertained and 
committed. Having labored in the country for twenty years, he removed 
with his companions into Switzerland, where he preached the Gospel with 
varied success; and being compelled again to flee, he passed into Italy, 
where he died in Lombardy in the year 615. 

Oallus was also an Irish monk, a disciple of Columbanus. At the place 
where St. Gallen in Switzerland now stands, he built in the year 614 a cell, 
from which afterwards arose, in honor of his memory, one of the most cele- 

38 ♦ 

i — r 



< ♦ 

<r ^ 

brated monasteries in Europe. His labors were richly blessed. He died 
in 646 at the advanced age of ninety-five years. 

Fridolin, also a native of Ireland, is represented as the Apostle of the 
Alemanni (about 510). He founded a monastery on an island in the Rhine, 
near Basel, and preached the Gospel to all who came from the mountains 
and forests to hear it. 

Rupert or Ruprecht was the Apostle of the Bavarians. He founded 
numerous churches and monasteries and made Christianity the religion of 
nearly the whole country. In 716 he returned to his former See of Worms, 
where he died. 

Kilian, a native of Ireland, on a pilgrimage to Rome, passing through 
a province of Thuringia, which was still pagan, was moved with the desire 
to devote himself to its conversion. He succeeded in converting the Duke 
Gozbert together with many of his subjects. Having provoked the enmity 
of the Duchess Gailana, he was murdered by her instigation at Wiirzburg, 
during the absence of Gozbert, in 687. 

SeverillllS, another faithful missionary, beginning A. D. 445, labored 
with truly apostolic zeal, in a part of what is now Austria, from Passau to 
Vienna. 

Emmeran labored about 650 in the vicinity of Regensburg in Bavaria. 
He was killed on the way to Italy by the brother of the Princess Ota in 
652. 

Corbinian in 717 established the episcopal see of Freisingen. He 
founded many churches and monasteries and died in 730. 

Willibrord was born in England and in 690 undertook, with twelve 
other missionaries, the conversion of the Frisians. They arrived at Utrecht 
and were warmly received by Pipin, the king of the Franks, who protected 
the missionaries. The labors of Willibrord extended even beyond the 
Danish frontier and were very successful. He died at a very advanced age 
in 738, at the monastery which he had founded at Echternach, near Treves. 

Many other names of faithful messengers of the truth could be 
mentioned, if our limited space permitted, such as Egbert, the 
two Ewalds, Lambert, Amandus, Elegius, Wilfried, Wigbert, etc., 
etc., but the real Apostle of the Germans was Bonifacius. 

Bonifacins (St. Boniface), whose orginal name was Winfried, was born 
in England in 680. Boniface means benefactor. In 715 he set out on a 
missionary expedition to the Frisians, and in 718 he was commissioned by 

39 



♦ 

T 

the Pope in Rome to preach the Gospel to the Germans. In Thuringia 
and Hessen he baptized two dukes. He everywhere destroyed the objects 
of heathen worship. Near Geismar stood a monster oak, sacred to Thor 
— the God of Thunder. Boniface did not hesitate to take an axe and with 
his own hand to cut it down (724). The pagan Germans looked on and 
expected that their god Thor would send fire from heaven and consume the 
blasphemer. When the heathen saw that their god did not defend him- 
self, they consented to be baptized. Boniface used the wood of the tree to 
build a Christian chapel. He preached everywhere in the language of the 
people with extraordinary power. It is said that 10,000 Thuringians were 
baptized by him. Having already reached a great age, he undertook an- 
other missionary journey to the Frisians, who cruelly murdered him in 755. 
He was buried at Fulda. 

The Saxons, who at first stubbornly refused to embrace Christianity, 
were, by means of the sword, compelled by the Emperor Charles the Great 
to submit to baptism. 

Ansgar (801-865) bears the name "Apostle of the North." He preached 
the Gospel in Denmark and Sweden. An archbishopric being established 
at Hamburg, Ansgar was appointed archbishop. Here he encountered 
many difficulties, being obliged to save his life by flight in 840, when the 
Northmen and Danes under Eric I. plundered Hamburg. He spent his 
strength in missionary work among the northern Pagans, where he labored 
with the most earnest devotion and self-denying zeal amid the greatest 
privations and sufferings. He died Feb. 3d, 865, at Bremen, where a 
church was named after him. [Our illustration represents Ansgar at the 
side of King Harold, holding up the cross before the stubborn Saxons. 
As the Saxon Chief Ethelrich is about to bow before it at the command of 
the king, his daughter Hilda holds him back. The king was enraged and 
threatened the chief with death, but Ansgar, approaching the king, said : 
"Let be, Christ does not conquer with the sword, but with the power of 
His love." Then turning to the chiefs he said: "Go in peace." His mild 
manner made such a happy impression upon the Saxons, that they per- 
mitted him to remain among them. A small congregation was soon gath- 
ered, and a church built. Hilda, who had prevented her father from ac- 
knowledging Christianity, now became interested in the Gospel. King 
Harold, who had apostatized from the faith, informed the chiefs of his re- 
turn to the ancient gods. They now determined to exterminate the Chris- 
tians. The church was set on fire and Hilda perished in the flames en the 
night of her baptism.] 

41 

♦ t 



IV. ERA OF THE CHURCH'S DECLINE. 

(600—1500.) 



14. Mohammed. 




OHAMMED, a man born at Mecca, 
in Arabia, in the year A. D. 570, 
founded a new and false religion. In 
his twenty-fifth year he entered the 
service of a rich widow, and accom- 
panied her caravans — in an inferior 
capacity, probably as camel-driver — 
to the fairs. In these journeys he be- 
came somewhat acquainted with the 
Christian and Jewish religions. His fortunes changed 
by his marrying the wealthy widow, and although con- 
tinuing his merchant's trade at Mecca, he spent most 
of his time in solitary contemplations. He was of a 
melancholic nervous temperament and from childhood 
afflicted with epilepsy, which no doubt very largely 
influenced his whole course in life. He instituted a 
religion composed of Jewish, Christian and Arabic-heathen 
elements. He declared that the angel Gabriel had appeared 
to him and commanded that he should go and preach the true 
religion. He taught that there is but one God (Allah) and Mo- 
hammed is his greatest prophet, that everything which occurs 
has been fore-ordained by an inevitable fate, and that after death 
the good will be rewarded and the evil punished. As most im- 
portant practical duties, he taught that the faithful must pray 
five times a day, give alms liberally to the poor, practice cir- 

42 



♦ I 

I 

cumcision, strictly observe all fast days (of which there are 
many), make pilgrimages to Mecca, abstain from wine (includ- 
ing all strong inebriating liquors) and from all gambling. Over 
against this he permitted polygamy, made divorce a very light 
matter and represented life after death an endless enjoyment 
of sensual pleasures, which evidently was the principal cause 
of his gaining so many adherents. At first he had to contend 
with many difficulties because of the opposition of many who 
feared for the sacredness of Mecca which the new doctrine might 
abolish, and they would be deprived of the revenues from the pil- 
grimages which were annually made thither. At length he was 
compelled to flee and went to Medina, July 15th, 622. The Mo- 
hammedan Era (Hegira) is reckoned from this time. In Medina 
the number of his adherents rapidly increased so that in 630 he 
could lead an army against Mecca and conquer it. He now sent 
messengers to all emperors and kings demanding of them recog- 
nition as the " Messenger of God," and determined to propagate 
his religion by means of the sword. Before he was able to far- 
ther carry out his project he died in 632. Four years previous 
an attempt had been made on his life by a Jewess who had 
placed a piece of roast meat before him on which she had put 
poison, but although tasting but a very small portion of it, he 
suffered from its effects up to the day of his death. 

After the death of Mohammed, the doctrines of his religion — 
called Islam — were collected into a book called the Koran which 
his adherents reverence as their book of religion. His successors, 
the Califfs, in a few years subdued Syria, Palestine (together with 
Jerusalem), Persia, Egypt and Asia Minor. The doctrines of 
Mohammed were forced upon the terrified inhabitants ; cities 
and castles were conquered, churches destroyed, and the "cres- 
cent" was everywhere raised as the ensign of Islam. The whole 
North-African coast, where numerous Christian congregations 
flourished, fell in 707 a prey to the Arabs, and Christianity was 
so completely destroyed that not a trace of it remained. Cross- 

4 3 



♦■-< 



ing into Europe at the Straits of Gibraltar, they marched unhin- 
dered through Spain. France and Germany trembled at the ap- 
proach of these barbarians. A decisive battle, continuing for six 
days, was, however, fought at Poictiers, in which the Frankish 
Duke, Charles Mariel, after the greatest exertions drove back 
the Arabs in 732. They retired to Spain where they remained 
for 700 years. 

The Mosque. — In a narrow valley in southern Arabia in Asia stands 
Mecca, the holy city of the Mohammedans. Our illustration represents 
the temple or Mosque at Mecca, to which every Mohammedan is to make 
at least one pilgrimage during his life, in order at length to enjoy a peace- 
ful death. The building is a parallelogram fronting southwest. Its length 
is 250 and its width 200 paces. The northeast side has four rows of pillars 
while the remaining sides have threefold collonades. Everywhere lamps 
are suspended. In the center of the Mosque is the Kaaba, which is a 
small building, eighteen paces long and forty feet high. Mohammedans 
say that Abraham and Ishmael built this hut. In it is found the "black 
stone" which the angel Gabriel is said to have brought from heaven and 
which is reverenced as the most holy relic. 



15. THE PAPACY. 

Roman Catholics say that Peter was the first Pope. This is 
a mere fable, since it has no foundation whatever in fact, for 
Peter was neither Bishop nor Pope in Rome, and it is doubtful 
whether he was ever in Rome at all. In the early history of the 
Christian Church the bishops of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, 
Constantinople and Rome had gained distinction, because they 
presided over large and influential congregations, and had their 
seat in great centers of population and influence. At first no one 
claimed pre-eminence, but gradually the bishop in Rome claimed 
a superior rank. When at length he assumed the name Pope 
(from Papa, i. e., father), the others applied to themselves the 
term Patriarch (i. e., Arch-father — Chief of fathers). The bishop 
in Rome called himself "the successor of St. Peter." It was not 

45 i 

♦ 



► ■ ♦ " 



long until he succeeded in exercising supreme authority. Rome 
was the ancient capital of the Empire ; in Rome, said they, are 
the graves of the Apostles Paul and Peter ; in Rome those at 




variance with each other sought protection and justice. In this 
way the power of the Pope gradually increased and became more 
and more arbitrary, especially after Pipin (752), King of the 



■U. 



46 



Franks, presented to the Pope (in 755) the country about Rome, 
by which the Popes also became worldly rulers. Charles the 
Great, called Charlemagne (772), the son of Pipin, increased 
these donations. It was also established that the Pope should al- 
ways perform the coronation of the Emperor, and that the Em- 
peror should confirm every new Pope. On Christmas day, A. D. 
800, Charlemagne was crowned and proclaimed Emperor by the 
Pope in St. Peter's Church in Pome. 

In the year 1054 the Eastern Church (the Greek Catholic) 
separated from the Western (the Roman Catholic) ; and to this 
day the Russians and a majority of the Christians in Turkey and 
Greece do not recognize the Pope. 

In consequence of the great power to which the Popes had 
attained, it became a comparatively easy matter to establish 
doctrines and customs altogether at variance with the Gospel. 
Hence numerous errors were soon not only entertained but 
vigorously promulgated as truth. Prominent among these er- 
rors are, the canonization of saints (an act by which deceased 
persons, who are supposed to have been faithful in laboring for 
the interest of the Church during life or who suffered martyr- 
dom, are designated as saints) ; the worship of saints and the 
sale of indulgences ; the divine homage given to relics (bones and 
bits of clothing of supposed saints, etc.,) and pictures of the saints, 
to which the power of working miracles is ascribed ; the doc- 
trine that God's special pleasure can be secured by the perform- 
ance of so-called good works, as e. g., pilgrimages, self-torture, 
the praying of the Rosary (a string with 150 beads representing 
as many prayers to the Virgin Mary, together with a number of 
Pater Nosters, i. e., Lord's Prayers, etc.,) ; bequests to monasteries ; 
the doctrine of Purgatory ; forbidding the marriage of the priests ; 
forbidding the reading of the Bible ; the doctrine of seven sacra- 
ments ; the doctrine of the sacrifice of the Mass, the withholding 
of the cup from the laity in the Sacrament of the Altar, and the 
doctrine of Transubstantiation or the changing of the elements 

47 



in the Holy Communion. The most prominent false doctrines 
which have been added in recent times are, that of the Immacu- 
late conception of the Virgin Mary and the Infallibility of the 
Pope. 

A long line of wicked and dissolute men occupied the papal 
throne. Pope Boniface VII., who put his predecessor to death 
by strangulation in 974, reigned for some years. A synod says 
of him: "He is a papal monster who in his abject depravity ex- 
ceeds all mortals." If the popes were so reckless what would be 
the condition of the priests ? Many of them could neither read 
nor write. The Emperor Henry III., deposed three miserable 
popes and appointed a German to the office. Hildebrand the 
son of a carpenter in Italy, occupied the papal throne under the 
title of Gregory VII. from 1073 — 1085. He labored to make 
the whole Church absolutely subject to himself, to make all 
priests independent of the power of their rulers, in order to make 
the whole of Europe an empire ruled by priests. Hence he com- 
pelled the priests to remain unmarried. He demanded of em- 
perors and kings obedience, and declared himself to be the Su- 
preme Lord of the earth. He excommunicated the German 
Emperor, Henry IV., and compelled him, in the severe winter of 
1077, to stand from Jan. 25th to 27th, barefoot and fasting in 
the garb of a penitent, in the court of the castle of Canossa, be- 
fore he would give him absolution. 



16. THE CRUSADES. 

At an early period, especially since the time of Constantine 
the Great, Christians began to make pilgrimages to Palestine in 
order to pray at the holy sepulchre. It soon occurred to some 
that there was something meritorious in this, and the priests be- 
gan to demand such pilgrimages as an exercise of penance for 
sin. As long as Palestine was part of the Greek Empire such 
pilgrims were kindly received, and even after the Arabs had 

48 



♦ 

»< re- 



gained possession of the country they were still tolerated. As 
soon, however, as the rude Turks, A. D. 1073, had subjugated 
the country the pilgrims were subjected to harsh treatment and 
severe oppression. 

In the year 1095, one of these pilgrims, Peter of Amiens, a 
French hermit, returned from the promised land and in glowing 
terms portrayed to Pope Urban II. the sufferings of the Chris- 







Peter of Amiens. 

tians, bringing with him also a letter from the Patriarch of Jeru- 
salem. The fanatical monk related how the Lord Jesus had ap- 
peared to him in a dream, and charged him to return home and 
rouse the Christians to an expedition against the infidels. The 
Pope admired his zeal and directed him everywhere to preach 
the crusade against the infidel Turks. In this manner he most 
deeply excited the feelings of the people. Thousands gathered 

4 49 






around him to whom he repeated his stories, appealing to every 
passion, and all the people were aroused and ready for the holy 
expedition. This enthusiasm was, if possible, still more enhanced 
by the Pope, who held a general council at Claremont, where 
the fiery speeches of Pope Urban and the hermit so electrified 
the people that they, as with one voice, exclaimed: "It is the 
will of God ! " Many thousands enlisted in the cause, affixed a 
red cross to their right shoulder and prepared for the crusade. 
Among these were princes and dukes, knights and squires, and 
even women and children. To all who participated was prom- 
ised the forgiveness of all sins. 

Already in the following year, 1096, the first crusade was 
organized under Duke Godfrey of Bouillon. The army 
originally consisted of 60,000 men, but on the way it increased 
to 600,000. The knights marched by different routes to Con- 
stantinople and from there into Asia Minor, Syria and the Holy 
Land. The wearisome march continued for nearly three years, 
for it was not until June 6th, 1099, that they reached Jerusalem. 
Out of the 600,000 which had started out but about 20,000 re- 
mained, to such an extent had the army been reduced by famine, 
sickness and the sword of the enemy. On July 15th, 1099, the 
crusaders scaled the walls of Jerusalem with the shout, " It is the 
will of God," and instituted a terrible slaughter among the Turks. 
Godfrey of Bouillon was chosen King of Jerusalem but humbly 
refused to wear the royal diadem where his Master had been 
crowned with thorns, and only styled himself the "Protector of 
the Holy Sepulchre." He died after the lapse of one year and 
was succeeded, A. D. 1100, by Baldwin, his brother, who was 
crowned King of Jerusalem at Bethlehem. 

They did not long remain in possession of the Holy Land. 
When the Turks had conquered Edessa in 1146, preparations 
were made for a second crusade (1147). Five other crusades 
followed in succession, but all in vain. Palestine was lost and it 
remained in the hands of the infidels. The crusades continued 

4 50 



f >r 

for nearly two hundred years, during which time nearly six mil- 
lions of Christians lost their lives. Nothing was gained by them 
for true Christianity. The last place held by the Christians in 
the East was Acco, which was conquered by the Turks in 1291. 
Three orders of knights came into existence during the crusades, 
viz.: Knights of St. John, Knights Templars and the German 
Knights. These protected the pilgrims and ministered to the 
sick. 



17. THE WAL.DENSES. 

In addition to these dark pictures of the Church which have 
been presented, another movement claims our notice, namely, 
the open and secret persecutions of those who tenaceously clung 
to the Word of God, making it the rule of their life ; the perse- 
cution of true Christians by the papal authority. 

Far distant from the bustle and great highways of the surging 
world, in the lonely defiles of the towering Alps, true Christianity 
was preserved to such an extent, both as to doctrine and life, that 
it reminds us of apostolic times. The inhabitants of those poor 
valleys had also been tainted with the corruptions of Romanism 
to some extent, but through the labors of Peter Waldus, and 
those whom he associated with him for the preaching of the Gos- 
pel to the peasantry, the errors were purged out and the pure 
truth held fast. The name, Waldenses, is supposed to have been 
derived from their dwelling in valleys (Vallenses), but it is very 
evident from history that they were called after their most emi- 
nent instructor and leader. Their confession of faith contains 
the following points : " In all things pertaining to salvation the 
Holy Scriptures alone are to be believed and no other person or 
book. There is but one Mediator, hence saints dare not be wor- 
shipped. Purgatory is a mere fiction. There are but two sacra- 
ments, etc." Here we see in the darkness of the middle ages an 
Evangelical Church ! The life and conduct of these Christians 

51 



was in harmony with their doctrine. Having no schools, the 
children of the Waldenses were taught at home to read and 
write, and were so thoroughly instructed in God's Word, that 
many of them had not only memorized a large part of the Bible, 
especially the Psalms, the Gospel of St. John and the Epistle to 
the Romans, but they were able to give answer to the most 
learned of their enemies concerning the hope which was within 
them. Louis XII., of France, testified of the Waldenses : " Truly 
these heretics are better than I and my whole nation." 

Peter Waldus was a wealthy merchant at Lyons. He earn- 
estly studied the Word of God, and was so imbued with Gospel 
truth, that he resolved to communicate the same also to others. 
About 1170 he distributed all his goods to the poor and founded 
an association for preaching the Gospel to the country people. 
He caused portions of the Holy Scriptures to be translated and 
circulated among the people as much as possible. Waldus was 
obliged to flee from place to place and at length died in Bohemia 
in 1197. His adherents were scattered and spread themselves 
throughout southern France, eastern Spain and northern Italy; 
but many of their converts were also found in Germany, in 
Switzerland and in Bohemia. Many found a refuge in Albi, in 
southern France, whence they received the name Albigenses. 

Every manner of persecution was visited upon these people. 
The Inquisition * was resorted to, and a murderous crusade, with 
an army of three hundred thousand men, was carried on against 
the Albigenses for twenty years. During this time not only one 
million of persons were slain, but many of them were tortured with 
unparalleled cruelty, and the country was changed into a desert. 
On one occasion seven thousand persons were put to death in a 
church. Still more cruel were the tribunals of the Inquisition 
instituted by Pope Gregory IX. against the heretics, the execu- 
tion of which he gave into the hands of the Dominican monks. 

* A tribunal established for the examination and punishment of heretics. 
52 



One inquisitor, in Spain, during the short term of his office, had 
ten thousand persons burned to death and ninety-seven thousand 
incarcerated, most of whom died in prison in consequence of the 
tortures inflicted upon them. These tortures were the most hor- 
rible which our sin cursed earth has ever seen, and they were 
perpetrated in the name of Christianity by the Roman Catholic 
Church ! Those incarcerated were questioned concerning their 
heresy, and, if they did not at once confess, were compelled to 
suffer indescribable torments, which, in many cases, speedily 
ended their existence. 

A large number of the Waldenses fled to the valleys of Pied- 
mont in upper Italy, where they have remained until this day. 
Of late they have gained considerable influence in Italy, and can 
now exercise their religion freely. 



18. WYCKLIFFE IN ENGLAND. 

John Wicklif, or Wyckliffe, was born in 1324 in the village 
of Wyckliffe, from which he also derived his name. He became 
lecturer on divinity at the University of Oxford, after having 
been Master of Belliol College, where, because of his faithful 
study of the Bible and decided expression of anti-romish views, 
he became involved in a controversy with the mendicant monks. 
Wyckliffe attacked the monks unmercifully because of their in- 
dolence, beggary and perversion of religion. The monks became 
the more exasperated and complained to the Archbishop, which 
caused him and his adherents to be removod from the school. 
By an address in defense of the English crown against the pre- 
tensions of the papal court, he secured the favor of the British 
court, which conferred the doctorate upon him and appointed 
him professor of theology in Oxford, and also gave him charge 
of the parish of Lutterworth. He was commissioned on an em- 
bassy to Bruges to confer with the papal legate in order to effect 
an adjustment of certain abuses complained of by the English 

53 




"Wyckliffe and his Church at Lutterworth. 



54 



Parliament. There he learned by personal observation how cor- 
rupt the papacy was. After his return he became more bold in 
denouncing the errors and abuses in the Church, and designated 
the Pope as " Anti-Christ," " the proud wordly priest of Rome, 
the most cursed of clippers and purse-curvers " (cut-purses). The 
monks now accused him to the Pope as a heretic, who at once de- 
manded his appearance at a convocation where he was to be ex- 
amined for his opinions. Wyckliffe obeyed the summons but he 
defended himself so well, and was so energetically sustained by the 
citizens of London and the government that he was acquitted. He 
now translated the Bible into English and formed societies of de- 
vout men, who preached the Gospel among the people, and went 
from village to village bearing copies of parts of the Holy Scrip- 
tures. He might have brought about a better state of things in 
the Church had he possessed moderation and patience. He, how- 
ever, desired with one blow to overthrow the erroneous teachings 
of the Church and to re-establish the Gospel. He attacked the 
Romish doctrine of Transubstantiation and declared that Christ 
is present only in a spiritual sense in the Lord's Supper. This, 
however, appeared even to his friend, the king, as heretical. He 
was summoned before a convocation in 1382, where he appeared 
and defended himself with great subtlety and power. His de- 
fense was unavailing. He was banished from Oxford, but was 
allowed to retire to his parish of Lutterworth, where he died on 
the last Sunday of the year 1384, just ninety-nine years before 
the birth of Luther. Forty-four years after his death, the coun- 
cil of Constance commanded his corpse to.be exhumed and burned, 
and the ashes to be scattered to the winds. 



19. JOHN HUSS. 

John" Huss, the most important forerunner of the Reforma- 
tion, lived at Prague at the close of the XIV. and the beginning 
of the XV. Century. He was born in 1369 of humble parents, 

55 



who belonged to the peasant class, in the village of Husinecz in 
Bohemia. In 1398 he was appointed to the chair of philosophy 
in the University of Prague, and in 1401 was made dean of the 
philosophical faculty. He had found peace and comfort in the 
Word of God alone. He was called in 1402 to officiate as 
preacher in the Bethlehem Chapel (Bethlehem means, house of 
bread), at Prague, which had been founded for the special pur- 
pose of giving the people an opportunity of hearing the Gospel 
in their native tongue. Here he sought to give to hungry souls 
the bread of the Word of God which in those times was so sel- 
dom presented. With outspoken earnestness he exposed the su- 
perstitions of the people and the sins of the clergy. All who saw 
him in the pulpit, the pale thin man with a serious countenance, 
and all who were acquainted with his pure and strict life, were 
persuaded that he was in earnest and spoke from conviction. 
When with more fervent zeal he discussed the corruptions of the 
Church, and energetically denounced the ecclesiastical and cleri- 
cal abuses, and asserted that the Word of God should again pre- 
vail in the land, an accusation against him was laid before the 
Pope in Rome. At length the Pope excommunicated him and 
put the city of Prague under the interdict so long as it sheltered 
him (1413). A council was convened in 1414 at Constance, on 
Lake Constance, in Switzerland, where Huss was cited to appear 
and where his cause was to be finally settled. The council 
was attended by the Pope, the Emperor Sigismund, kings and 
magnates of the empire, prelates, bishops and priests. Huss 
w T as promised a safe conduct by the Emperor and he gladly set 
out for Constance, October 14th, 1414, to give testimony for 
Christ, fully persuaded of the justice of his cause. He arrived 
the following month and on his first examination was immedi- 
ately committed to prison, November 28th. For seven months 
he was tortured by private examinations. A public audience 
was not granted him until June, 1415, when he was, however, 
not allowed to discuss the controverted points, but was com- 

5fi 



manded to make an unqualified retraction. He, however, re- 
fused to yield. 

On the 6th of July — his forty-sixth birthday — he was brought 
into the cathedral, where the whole council was assembled. The 
Emperor, with the princes of the empire and the assembled 
knighthood entered. All eyes were fixed upon the preacher cf 
Prague. He was placed on a slight elevation so as to be seen 
by the assembled multitude. A bishop now delivered an oration 
on Romans 6 : 6, in which he admonished the Emperor to extir- 
pate heresy and, especially, to remove the obdurate heretic stand- 
ing before them. Here Huss fell upon his knees and commended 
himself to God. As he was not permitted to speak, the following 
sentence was immediately pronounced : 

" The writings of Huss are to be burned, and he, being a wicked, obdur- 
ate man, is to be ignominiously deprived of his priestly office and given 
over to the secular power." 

Having heard the sentence he prayed to God : "I pray Thee, 
for Thy mercy's sake, forgive all mine enemies ! " 

The sentence was immediately executed. With curses they 
stripped him of his priestly robes, pronounced him a Judas, and 
placed a paper cap on his head, on which were painted tongues 
of flame and devils, and on which was written the legend "Arch- 
heretic." In reply to this ignominy, Huss calmly said: "My 
Lord wore for me a crown of thorns ; therefore will I, miserable 
man, cheerfully wear the lighter one for him." Being given into 
the hands of the secular power, he was led to the place of execu- 
tion. His hands were securely tied on his back. His body was 
secured with ropes and his neck was fastened, with a chain, to a 
stake. Wood and straw were piled up around him even to his 
mouth. The funeral pile was lit, and flame and smoke circled 
aloft. Huss sang in clearest tones : " O Christ, Thou Lamb of 
God, have mercy on me ! " and again : " O Christ, Thou Lamb of 
God, have mercy on me ! " He made a third attempt, but the 

57 



f 



f. 
wind drove the smoke and flame into his face. His lips were seen 
to move once more, — he died. 

Jerome of Prague, a friend and associate of Huss, followed his friend 
to Constance, although he was not himself summoned. Finding that a pro- 
tracted stay in the city could be of no possible benefit to his friend, and only 
exposed himself to a similar fate, he left Constance, but was captured by the 
way and was brought back in chains (April, 1415). He at first remained 
steadfast and stoutly refused to recant. After, however, spending half a 
year in a loathsome prison, he was prevailed upon, in an hour of weakness, 
to renounce his faith. But notwithstanding his recantation, being mis- 
trusted, he was still kept in prison ; his judges, fearing that if released, he 
would return to Bohemia and cause a revolt. Jerome soon recovered him- 
self. After another six months spent in prison he requested a public audi- 
ence before the whole council, which was granted him in May, 1416. In- 
stead, however, of requesting his release, as the council expected, he form- 
ally retracted his former recantation, declaring that the condemnation of 
PIuss was unjust, and confounded the council by his eloquence and moral 
earnestness. He was now also condemned to death, and having cited his 
unjust judges to appear within 100 years before the Supreme Judge to an- 
swer for their course, he, on the 30th of May, 1416, died at the stake full 
of courage and joy. 

The Hussites, — This was the name given to the adherents of Huss. 
After the death of Huss thousands of the Bohemians armed themselves 
and, under the leadership of their one-eyed commander, Ziska, built the 
fortified town " Tabor" on the top of a steep mountain. From these head- 
quarters they marched through the land and compelled the introduction of 
the doctrines of Huss, especially the administering of the cup to the laity 
in the Lord's Supper. In Prague they demanded religious freedom and 
the deliverance of imprisoned Hussites. This being denied them, they 
threw thirteen councilors from the window of the council chamber. This 
was the beginning of a terrible war which continued for fifteen years, be- 
ing waged with unprecedented cruelty on both sides. At a later period a 
remnant of the Hussites became what are known as the Bohemian and 
Moravian Brethren. 



58 



V. THE PERIOD OF THE REFORMATION. 



20. DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 

UMEROUS were the errors and abuses 
which existed in the Church. Many- 
men had openly and boldly protested 
against them. Among these "VValdus, 
Wyckliffe and Huss were most prominent. 
But it was not until one hundred years 
later that the Reformation was actu- 
ally accomplished by the man whom God 
had selected as The Reformer of the 
Church, — Dr. Martin Luther. 

Martin Luther, the son of Hans Luther, a pious 
miner, was born at Eisleben, in Germany, November 
10th, 1483. He was brought up by his parents in a 
simple but strict manner, and was from early youth 
regularly sent to school. Being an apt and industri- 
ous boy his father concluded to give him a good edu- 
cation and designed him for the legal profession. He sent him 
to the latin school at Magdeburg and afterwards to Eisenach. 
His parents being poor, Martin could receive little support from 
home. He was, therefore, according to the custom of those days, 
obliged to secure his daily bread by singiug before the doors, and 
thankfully accepting whatever kindly disposed persons gave him. 
Being gifted with a sweet voice, and possessing withal a pious 
disposition, the attention of the wife of a well-to-do citizen of 
Eisenach, Mrs. Ursula Cotta, was drawn toward him. She re- 
ceived him into her house and treated him as her own child. At 
the age of eighteen — in the year 1501 — he entered the University 

59 








Dr. Martin Luther. 



60 



at Erfurth. Here, in the library, he discovered a latin Bible, in 
which he was astonished to find so many things of which he had 
never before heard. He read it with increasing interest and 
earnestness, and j>rayed that God might in due time reward him 
with such a book. In 1505 he became teacher of philosophy. 
Alarmed by the sudden death of a friend, he believed that by 
entering a monastery he could attain peace for his troubled soul ; 
and hence on the 17th of July, 1505, he entered the Augustinian 
cloister in Erfurth and became a monk. He obeyed the rules 
of the monastery in the most conscientious manner, performed 
the most menial services and went about begging for his cloister. 
But monastic life did not give Luther the peace of soul which he 
so much craved. He became more and more despondent, for he 
saw that he could not with all such works merit the good pleasure 
of God. He even despaired of his salvation, and the struggle in 
his soul more and more consumed his strength. On one occasion, 
Staupitz, the vicar-general of the Augustinians, visited the cloister 
and comforted him by directing him to the atoning death of 
Jesus Christ, and exhorted him to trust in the grace of Christ 
instead of constantly torturing himself because of his sins. One 
day as he lay overwhelmed with despair, an aged monk entered 
his cell and addressed words of comfort to him. He led him 
back to the Apostles' Creed and repeated this article : " / believe 
in the forgiveness of sins" "You must believe" said he, "not 
only in the forgiveness of David's and of Peter's sins, for this 
even the devils believe. It is God's command that we believe 
our own sins are forgiven." New light now sprung up in the 
heart of the young monk. He applied himself even more dili- 
gently to the study of the Apostles and Prophets, and realized 
what they teach, namely, that we are justified by Faith alone. 
The vicar-general, John von Staupitz, recognizing in Luther 
a man of fine attainments and excellent character, did not wish 
him to remain long in the cloister. Upon his advice, Frederick 
the Wise, Elector of Saxony, called Luther in the year 1508 

61 



-♦■■-« 



to be a professor in the newly established university at Witten- 
berg. 

In the year 1510, Luther was commissioned to go to Rome in 
the interest of the order of Augustinian monks to which he be- 
longed. This journey proved to be to him and his times, and in- 
deed for all time to come, of the greatest importance. He still 
imagined the Pope to be the holy vicar of Christ upon earth, 
and Rome to be the supreme seat of holiness. Hence he hoped 
that there he would find perfect peace for his soul. But he was 
miserably disappointed. The nearer he approached the holy (?) 
city of Rome, the more wickedness he observed on every hand, 
and, when in the city, he heard such vile reports concerning the 
popes, showing them to be guilty of the most wicked and shame- 
ful deeds, that he was perfectly horrified. In addition to this he 
discovered that the clergy were deplorably ignorant and given to 
the grossest superstitions, many even being total unbelievers and 
blasphemers of religion. By such gloomy experiences Luther's 
reverence for Rome and the Pope was very much shaken. But 
this journey was important for him in other respects. He found 
peace for his soul, not, indeed, in Rome, but in the Word of God. 
He had often read and meditated upon the words, Habakuk 2 : 4, 
" The just shall live by his faith," and often, already in the cloister, 
did they give him sweet comfort ; but still he never thoroughly 
comprehended their meaning. On his homeward journey he was 
taken sick, and again this passage occurred to him, and at once 
its meaning was perfectly clear: Man can not become just before 
God by works, but by faith. In 1512 he was made a Doctor 
of theology and became preacher in Wittenberg. 



21. INDULGENCE AND THE 95 THESES. 

Pope Leo X., a very vain and pomp-loving man, desired to 
make himself a name by completing St. Peter's church in Rome. 
For this purpose he needed money, and since he could not hope 



62 



for regular contributions, he commanded a general indulgence to 
be preached. 

Indulgence is the remission of the temporal and eternal punishment 
due to sins, granted by the pope or the church, supposed to save the sinner 
from purgatory. Priests went from place to place and sold these in- 
dulgences, making the people believe that by paying certain sums of 
money, every sin, however heinous, which they had committed, would be 
forgiven ; and even going so far as to grant permission to commit certain 
sins, declaring that by the indulgence they were forgiven in advance. 

The Pope committed this indulgence business in Germany into 
the hands of the Elector, Albrecht of Mainz, who was also Arch- 
bishop of Magdeburg, and who assumed the chief management 
of the commission and received half of the receipts for the liquid- 
ation of his own debts. He endeavored to make the business as 
profitable as possible and employed a number of shameless monks 
as indulgence venders. The most scandalous of these was John 
Tetzel, of Leipzig, a Dominican prior and Dr. of Theology, who 
on a former occasion had been found guilty of adultery and was 
to be put to death by drowning. The Archbishop appointed him 
indulgence vendor in Saxony. Tetzel traveled from place to 
place attended by a numerous retinue, and with the most unex- 
ampled impudence offered his wares from the pulpit and in the 
market place. His charges for the pardon of particular sins 
were: witchcraft 2 ducats, polygamy 6, murder 8, robbing of 
churches and perjury 9 ducats. (A ducat is in value about equal 
to an American dollar.) The inscription on his heavy money 
chest was : 

Soon's in the chest the money rings 

The soul at once to Heaven springs." 

This Tetzel came to Jiiterbogk near Wittenberg and attracted 
crowds of purchasers from all directions, including many from 
Wittenberg. Luther discovered in the confessional the pernicious 
consequences of this disorder, for many of the penitents desired 
to hear nothing more of repentance and amendment, because, as 

63 



they contended, they had paid for their sins. Luther now began 
to preach mightily against Indulgence, but it availed little, and 
a number of eminent priests, to whom he appealed, would say 
nothing against the pernicious traffic. He then, on the 31st of 
October, 1517, nailed 95 Theses against indulgences to the door 
of the Castle Church at Wittenberg, so that all who would come 
to church on the following day — being "All Saints Day" — could 
read them. This was the beginning of the Reformation. In those 
95 theses Luther declared that the Pope had no right to forgive 
sins for money, that when our Lord said : " Repent, etc.," He 
meant that the whole earthly life of His believers should be a 
continual repentance, and that faith in Christ was the only 
ground for Salvation. 

Luther's theses attracted great attention ; in the incredibly 
short space of fourteen days they had not only reached Rome, 
but had spread throughout all Germany, and soon after became 
generally known throughout the whole of Europe. Everywhere 
the movement met with much favor and men rejoiced at the bold- 
ness of the monk ; whilst on the other hand there were no doubt 
also such — especially the friends of Luther — who thought with 
terror of the stake. It is very evident that the Pope could not 
long remain silent, although he at first regarded the whole matter 
as a petty quarrel among the monks, and even praised friar Mar- 
tin as a remarkable genius. He, however, soon changed his mind, 
and demanded that Luther should recant. But Luther firmly 
refused, although he at that time still entertained a very high re- 
gard for the Pope. He respectfully requested that he be first 
taught differently from the Sacred Scriptures, else he could under 
no circumstances retract. But the arrogant Pope would not yield 
to such an insignificant monk, and designed to make short work 
with him and his cause, by putting him under the ban. He 
issued a bull dated June 15th, 1520, in which Luther was pro- 
nounced a heretic and his writings ordered to be burned. Upon 
this Luther took another step in advance, and formally renounced 

64 



the papacy by publicly burning the papal bull on the morning 
of December 10th, 1520, before the Elster gate of Wittenberg in 
the presence of a large number of spectators, among whom were 
many doctors and students. 



22. THE DIET AT WORMS. 

After the death of the Emperor Maximilian (1519), Charles 
Y. 9 of Spain, was elected Emperor. The Elector of Saxony, Fred- 
erick the Wise, who had declined to accept the imperial crown, 
asked of him that the affair of Luther be presented and dis- 
cussed at the diet to be held in the city of Worms in 1521. 
This was conceded and the Emperor promised Luther a safe 
conduct to arid from Worms. His friends advised him not to 
go, and even after he had set out, admonished him to return, 
for fear the safe conduct would be ignored and he be violently 
dealt with. Luther, however, discarded these fears and solicita- 
tions of his friends with true Christian heroism, saying : " If 
there were as many devils in Worms as tiles on the roofs, I would 
still go thither," and trusting in his Lord he proceeded on his 
journey. The friends of the Pope had hoped that he would not 
obey the Emperor's summons, and when they heard he was on the 
way were filled with alarm. They feared for their wretched cause 
and hence resorted to all manner of intrigue and strategem to 
hinder his entering Worms, but Luther was undaunted and said : 
"I go whither I am summoned." His journey seemed a tri- 
umphal march ; everywhere the whole populace was aroused and 
flocked to see this bold monk, and on April 16th, 1521, he entered 
the city amidst a dense mass of people. When on the following 
day he was conducted to the diet chamber, the streets and win- 
dows and even the roofs of the houses were crowded with the pop- 
ulace. The throng in the streets through which he had to pass 
was so great that the marshal who conducted him was compelled 
to order the opening of some private houses, and he led Luther 

5 65 



■4, 



through the gardens and private passages to the place where the 
diet was sitting. At the entrance of the diet-chamber stood a 
valiant knight, the eminent George of Freundsberg, who tapped 
him on the shoulder, and shaking his head said kindly: "Poor 
monk, poor monk, thou art now going on a way to make a nobler 
stand than I or many a captain have ever made in the most san- 
guinary battle. But if thy cause is just, and thou art right, fear 
nothing and go forward in the name of God, He will not forsake 
thee." Luther went forward with confidence, even if his heart 
did beat violently as he appeared before the imposing assembly. 
Before him sat the Emperor, Charles V., on his throne, and ar- 
ranged on either side, his brother, the Archduke (afterwards 
King Ferdinand), six electors of the empire, twenty-four dukes, 
eight margraves, thirty archbishops, bishops and abbots, seven 
ambassadors, the deputies of ten free cities, the papal nuncios 
and a great number of princes and counts — in all, two hundred 
and four persons of rank — together with over five thousand per- 
sons in the hall and ante-chamber and at the windows, all eagerly 
looking upon Luther. When he was asked whether he was wil- 
ling to retract his writings, he requested time for reflection that 
he might not act imprudently and that he might answer without 
offending against the Word of God. This was granted, and the 
next day he appeared in order to make his defense. When he 
was again urged to retract his writings, and a clear, concise answer 
w r as demanded, he replied in a firm voice: "Unless I am con- 
vinced by Scripture or other clear proofs, I neither can nor dare 
retract anything for my conscience is bound to God's Word. I 
cannot submit my faith either to the Pope or councils, because it 
is clear that they have frequently erred and contradicted each 
other, and it is neither safe nor advisable to act against conscience. 
Here I stand ; I cannot do otherwise ; so help me God ! 
Amen ! " However much the friends of Luther, and especially the 
eminent Elector Frederick, were surprised and delighted at this 
frank and open confession, Luther was still pronounced a heretic 

66 



and put under the ban of the empire. But the Emperor kept his 
word and permitted him to return home unmolested. The im- 
perial decree of the ban was not published until May 26th, after 
many of the princes favorable to Luther and his cause had left the 
diet, but it was falsely antedated May 8th. In this edict the Em- 
peror said, that he pronounces this devil in the disguise of a hu- 
man being and a monk's gown an outlaw, and that after the ex- 
piration of the twentieth day no one shall harbor him or give 
him food and drink, under pain of incurring the charge of high 
treason, but to seize him wherever found and deliver him under 
sure guard to the Emperor. The edict concluded : " If any one of 
any rank, class or condition, act contrary to this our Christian 
and imperial order, proceedings will be taken against the same 
according to the forms of the ban and sentence of outlawry." 

On the 26th of April Luther left Worms, conducted by the 
imperial herald, whom, however, upon his arrival at Freyberg, 
a few miles from Worms, he dismissed with thanks. As Luther 
was traveling through the Thuringian forest near Waltershausen, 
on the 4th of May, 1521, he was seized by several armed knights 
who dragged him out of his carriage with seeming violence, threw 
a military cloak over his shoulders, and placing him on a horse, 
in a few moments vanished with him in the gloomy forest. They 
rode through the forest until eleven o'clock at night, when they 
arrived at the WartbllFg.* These knights acted under instruc- 
tions from the Elector, Luther's friend, who desired to bring him 
to a secure place until the first storm had subsided. Upon the 
Wartburg Luther was kept like a noble prisoner ; he was dressed 
in the garb of a knight, was compelled to let his beard grow and 
to carry a sword, and was known as Knight George. 

Luther could, however, not be idle in his exile. Having 
begun again to build up the Church which had fallen into decay, 
he was determined to continue the work. He resolved to trans- 



* A castle belonging to the Elector of Saxony, near Eisenach. 



67 * 

4 



late the Holy Bible into pure German, so that the Word of God 
in its purity could be studied by the people. A number of trans- 
lations of the Bible existed. These were not, however, from the 
original text (Hebrew and Greek) but from the Latin Vulgate, 
and in many respects unintelligible and full of errors. On the 
Wartburg, Luther, by the help of God, in a very brief period of 
time, completed his admirable translation of the New Testament, 
besides publishing the first part of his Church Postil — a work 
conferring great blessings upon the people. Indeed, it is astonish- 
ing how much Luther wrote in the short space of twenty-five 
years. It has been calculated that a transcriber, writing rapidly 
for ten hours a day, would spend a whole lifetime in transcribing 
every thing which Luther wrote. Beside this voluminous writ- 
ing he did so much other work which it would be a very difficult 
matter for any other individual to imitate. 

After spending ten months on the Wartburg, Luther heard of 
disturbances which had broken out at Wittenberg. The so-called 
Zwickau Prophets had gone there, and among other things 
preached against what they called " The devil's work of Infant 
Baptism," producing great confusion thereby. This was the 
signal for his departure. Nothing could now restrain him, and 
he hastened, without permission from the Elector, May 3d, 1522, 
from his place of exile and appeared suddenly in Wittenberg to 
the joy of all the true friends of the Reformation. For a whole 
week he preached night and day against the fanatics who had 
threatened great mischief, and succeeded in soon reestablishing 
order. He now continued in the great work of translating the 
Bible with manifest zeal, assisted by several competent friends, 
so that in 1534 the whole Bible was printed in the German 
language 

The Catechism. — Luther's Small Catechism was published in 1529. 
The Elector of Saxony had commissioned him to visit the churches and 
schools in the Electorate and to inquire into their general condition. He 
was completely surprised at the great ignorance in divine things which he 

6 9 



discovered, both on the part of children and adults, of the laity and clergy. 
In his preface to the Small Catechism he says: "Alas! what misery I be- 
held ! The people, especially those who live in the villages, seem to have 
no knowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are 
ignorant and incompetent teachers." For ministers and teachers he wrote 
the large Catechism. The Small Catechism is a classic book for the 
school and family, and a jewel which to this day remains unexcelled both 
as to contents and arrangement. Joachim, Duke of Anhalt, wrote on the 
flyleaf of his Catechism: "Next to the Bible, I prize this book." Frede- 
rick II., Duke of Silesia, requested to be buried with this book in his hand. 
Already in the XVI. Century Luther's Small Catechism was translated 
into thirteen languages, and afterwards into many more, so that to-day it 
can be studied in more languages than any other book, except the Bible. 

The Hymn Book. — The first collection of German hymns was published 
by Luther in 1524, and it contained eight hymns. New ones were added 
from year to year, so that when Luther died, the number had increased to 
one hundred and fifty, of which he had himself composed thirty-seven. He 
also composed some most admirable melodies, as the one to that powerful 
hymn, "A mighty Fortress is our God," and others. The hymns and melo- 
dies were quickly learned by the people and everywhere sung, so that the 
hymns became a powerful factor in spreading the true doctrine. 

The Bible in English. — In the last quarter of the XIV. Century, the 
first translation of the Bible into English by Wycliffe appeared. It was 
not made from the original languages, but from the Latin Vulgate. The 
next was by William Tyndale, who used all the aids of his time which he 
had at command. He was followed by Coverdale, who put forth a com- 
plete translation of the Bible in 1535; it was, however, inferior to Tyn- 
dale' s, being made from different translations and not from the original. 
A revision was afterwards made by John Rogers, called Matthews Bible, 
1537. A very imperfect revision called the Great Bible appeared in 1539. 
Numerous other revisions and translations of greater or less merit, followed, 
until in 1611 the present English Bible, called King James' Version, was 
completed. In 1604 King James of England appointed fifty-four learned 
men to furnish a new translation. Forty-seven of these men accepted the 
charge and faithfully performed their work. Another revision is now in 
progress, the New Testament having appeared in 1881. No translation 
has, however, reached the high standard of excellence which is universally 
conceded to Luther's German Bible. 



70 



23. THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION. 

Rapid progress had been made by the Gospel and it had gained 
entrance into many countries. Monasteries and convents were 
abolished, the priests were permitted to marry, and services were 
conducted in the language of the people. The Evangelical 
(Lutheran) Church had assumed a permanent form, and the 
princes had united in a league to protect themselves against the 
Roman Catholics. Overagainst this the Roman Catholic princes 
published an edict at the second diet at Speyer, held in the year 
1529, revoking the resolution passed at one held three years pre- 
vious at the same place, granting to all religious liberty until a 
council should " re-establish unity by the Word of God." The 
edict by which this was nullified set forth that : there be no fur- 
ther innovations in religion; that where Luther's doctrine had 
not yet been introduced, its introduction shall not be permitted, 
and that where it existed it shall not only be no further extended, 
but that the "mass" should be again introduced, the ministers 
should avoid all disputed questions and should use and explain 
the Scriptures only as they have been hitherto used and explained 
in the Roman Church. The Evangelical States protested against 
this resolution, presenting their famous protest to the Diet, April 
19th, 1529. This circumstance gave rise to the name Protest- 
ants. 

The protest was very ungraciously received by the Emperor, 
who resolved to hold another diet the following year where the 
matter of the Protestants should be adjusted. This diet was 
called to meet at Augsburg early in the year 1530. It was the 
object of the Pope as well as the Emperor utterly to uproot the 
Evangelical doctrine. To this the Evangelical Princes would, 
however, by no means submit. It was therefore the purpose of 
the diet to adjust the religious controversy. Luther wrote out 
the most important Evangelical articles of faith. Melanchthon 
enlarged upon these and arranged them into a confession of faith, 

which is universally known as the Augsburg Confession. 

71 



T 



The Elector of Saxony accompanied by his theologians went to 
Augsburg. Luther remained at Coburg, as he was still under 
the ban of the Empire, which made it unsafe for him to go be- 
yond the domains of his Elector. The 25th of June was the day 
upon which the Confession was read in presence of the Emperor 
and diet. The Emperor demanded that it be read in Latin ; but 
the Elector John insisted, that being on German soil* it should 
be read in German, which was finally conceded. The Chancellor 
Dr. Baier now read the twenty-eight articles of the Confession 
in such a clear voice, that the thousands Avhich had assembled in 
the court-yard of the castle, understood every word. Many of 
the opponents were astonished at this doctrine which made such 
a favorable impression upon them. The Evangelicals were now 
encouraged and full of confidence. Seven Dukes and two free 
cities had signed the Confession. The Roman Catholic theolo- 
gians declared that they could refute the Confession by the church 
fathers, but not with the Bible. Upon this, Duke George, of 
Saxony, an arch-enemy of Luther, replied: "Well then the 
Lutherans are entrenched in the scriptures, and we are along 
side of it." 

Philip Melanchthoil was the author of the Augsburg Con- 
fession. He enlarged on the articles of faith previously prepared 
by Luther and presented to a convention held at Schwabach — 
hence called the Articles of Schwabach, also the Torgau Articles — 
and prepared the Confession on their basis. Born in 1497 at 
Bretten, in the Palatinate, he entered the University of Heidelberg 
when only thirteen years of age, and when sixteen years old he 
already published a Greek grammar. In his seventeenth year he 
obtained the Master's degree, and in his twenty-first year he was 
called as Professor of the Greek language to Wittenberg. His 
name was originally Schwarzerd (black-earth) which Luther 
translated into Greek, Melanchthon. His fame soon spread 
throughout all Europe, and attracted to him thousands of hearers 
from all countries. Because of his superior talents, fine culture 

72 




Philip Melanclithou. 

and great learning, lie received the title : " The teacher of Ger- 
many." He outlived Luther and died April 19th, 1560, weary 
of Life and anxious to depart. 



24. LUTHER'S DOMESTIC LIFE, AND DEATH. 

In the .year 1525 Luther was married to Catharine von 
Bora with whom he lived a very happy life. His benevolence 



73 



+ . * 

was remarkable, exceeding the liberality of many who are 
wealthy. As a father he was very strict and endeavored to rear 
his children in the fear of the Lord. On one occasion he would 
not suffer his son Hans, because of some wrong he had com- 
mitted, to appear before him for three days, saying: "I would 
sooner have a dead son than a disobedient one." — On the other 
hand he was very kind and affectionate, so that his children not 
only feared, but most sincerely loved him and confided in him. 
In consequence of this truly christian discipline at home, his chil- 
dren were well-behaved, and grew up respected by all who knew 
them. Luther was the father of six children. John, the oldest, 
became a lawyer, and died in Kcenigsberg, in 1575; Elizabeth 
and Magdalena died young ; Martin studied theology, but died 
before he had finished his studies; Paul studied medicine and 
became physician to the Elector of Saxony; Margaretha was 
married to a Prussian nobleman. 

Luther was a very earnest man, but at the same time friendly 
and kindly disposed toward every one. In spite of much ill health, 
he was very diligent. He preached very frequently, lectured to 
the students every day, was obliged to undertake many journeys, 
to answer innumerable letters, to receive visits of many strangers 
and give them advice, and employed two or three hours daily in 
communing with God in prayer. ' By means of his numerous 
publications Luther might have become a wealthy man, a pub- 
lisher offering to pay him annually fourhundred dollars (a very 
large sum at that time) for them. He would, however, take 
nothing, although he received but a meagre salary, so that, because 
of his liberality, he often lacked the means for the most ordinary 
necessities. 

During his whole life Luther enjoyed comparatively little good 
health ; but especially during the last few years of his life was he 
afflicted with great bodily suffering. About this time family 
difficulties arose between the counts of Mansfeld, his former 
sovereigns, and the counts desired to adjust matters by submit- 

74 



•JL 

♦ 



ting the difficulties to the arbitration of exemplary men. They 
therefore requested Luther to come to Eisleben. Luther con- 
sented to undertake this difficult journey, although he realized 
his approaching end. — He had the pleasure of seeing the counts 
reconciled; but his illness increased, and on the 16th of February 
assumed such a grave character, that he realized his speedy dis- 
solution, and remarked several times : "Here in Eisleben I was 
born and baptized, what, if it should also be the place of my 
death!" During the night from the 17th to the 18th of February 
the oppression of his chest increased to such an extent that his 
friends watched at his bedside. Every effort to relieve him by 
the administration of medicine was fruitless. He prayed fervently 
and exclaimed three times in succession: "Father, into thy 
hands I commend my spirit!" When Dr. Jonas asked him: 
" Reverend Father, are you willing to die in Christ and in the 
doctrine which you preached?" Luther answered loud and dis- 
tinctly — "Yes," and died with folded hands as if in prayer. His 
death occured February 18th, 1546, at the age of 62 years, 3 
months and 8 days. 

Luther's death was an occasion of the deepest mourning. The 
Elector ordered that the body be brought to Wittenberg. 
Electors, Dukes and common citizens, men and women, old and 
young, all mourned with bitter tears when the news of the death 
of the Reformer of the Church became known. The young 
count of Mansfeld with forty-five noblemen accompanied the 
corpse to Wittenberg. Every city and village through which 
the funeral cortege passed manifested its loss in the deepest grief. 
The funeral took place February 22d amid such an immense 
concourse of sorrowing people as Wittenberg had never before 
seen. His remains were buried in the Castle Church, on the 
door of which, 29 years before he had nailed his famous theses. 



75 



25. THE REFORMATION IN OTHER COUNTRIES. 

About the time when Luther began his work in Germany, 
Zwingli arose in Switzerland and took a bold stand against 
the papacy. Zwingli and Luther agreed in many points of 
Christian doctrine; but there were also many important points in 
which they differed. This was especially the case with the doctrine 
concerning the holy Sacraments. Zwingli regarded these only 
as signs, representations and memorials. He insisted that in the 
Lord's Supper the communicant eats the bread and drinks the 
wine only in remembrance of Jesus ; that bread and wine only 
represent the body and blood of Christ. Over against this, Luther 
firmly held fast to the word of the Scriptures and taught : " The 
Body and Blood of Christ are truly received in, with and wider 
the bread and wine." — Philip, the Landgrave of Hessen, was very 
desirous of bringing about a union between Luther and Zwingli 
and their respective adherents. For this purpose he instituted a 
conference at Marburg in October, 1529, which, however, did 
not bring about the end aimed at. Luther said : " Since I see 
the text of my Lord Jesus Christ written ' This is my Body ' I 
must confess and believe that the Body of Christ is really present." 
This the Swiss would not admit, wherefore Luther also rejected 
Zwingli's hand, saying: "You possess a different spirit." 

Zwingli and his adherents then left and formed a new religious 
organization which they called the Reformed Church. In Basel 
Oecolampadius labored in the spirit of the Reformed, and in 
the city and canton of Berne the same doctrine also met with 
success. Only the five primitive cantons adhered to Roman Cath- 
olicism. In 1531 war broke out between the Zwinglians and the 
Roman Catholics of the primitive cantons, in which Zwingli was 
among the slain. — French Switzerland also came under the influ- 
ence of the reformatory movement. In Geneva the new doctrine 
was publicly acknowledged in 1535, which was afterward con- 
firmed by John Calvin. 

76 



Ulrich Zwingli, the son of a Bailiff, was born January 1st, 1484, at 
"Wildenhaus, in Switzerland. He studied in Basel, Berne and Vienna, and 
when in his twenty-first year, became priest in Glarus. In 1516 he was 
appointed priest and preacher at the Church of our Lady at Elnsiedeln, re- 
nowned for a statue of the virgin that was said to work miracles, and hence 
was annually visited by thousands of pilgrims. Even to this day thousands 
of Roman Catholic pilgrims visit this church every year. Zwingli boldly 
preached against such superstition. When in 1518 he became priest at 
Zurich, he took a firm stand against the indulgence vender Samson, who 
here carried on the nefarious business similarly to Tetzel in Saxony, only 
that he offered his wares cheaper, taxing sin at a lower rate. The council 
of the city of Zurich sustained Zwingli. In 1524 he succeeded in abolish- 
ing the mass. Not satisfied with this, things which Luther wisely retained, 
such as paintings, altars, baptismal fonts, church decorations, organs, bells, 
etc., were condemned as Eoman Catholic, destroyed and burned. In the 
meantime the Roman Catholic Cantons treated the Reformed Cantons with 
great cruelty. At length a crisis came, war was declared, and October 10th, 
1531, the battle of Cappel, where 8000 Catholics were opposed by about 
1200 Ziirichers, was fought. Zwingli, well armed, was chaplain of the Re- 
formed. He soon fell on the field of battle, together with a large number 
of his adherents. A Roman Catholic soldier asked him when at the point 
of death, to worship the Virgin Mary. He shook his head and — was 
thrust through the neck with a sword. 

John Calvin was born in Picardy, France, on the 10th of July, 1509. 
He studied in Paris and devoted himself to the office of the ministry. As 
soon as the news of Luther's work and teaching reached France, Calvin 
was filled with such enthusiasm for the doctrine of the Protestants, that he 
at once publicly defended them. Because of this he was compelled to leave 
Paris and arrived at Geneva in 1536. Here the minister Farrel ap- 
proached him, stating how much his services were needed there and de- 
manded of him to remain. He, however, hesitated, desiring to devote 
himself to study and intellectual labor. Upon this Farrel said: "If you 
refuse your aid in God's work in this time of need, the curse of God will 
rest upon you and your studies." This appeared to Calvin a divine men- 
ace, and he remained. He at once set to work to introduce a most strict 
church discipline, for which reason he was banished from Geneva after a 
residence of two years. He went to Strasburg and after spending three 
years in that city, he was invited to return to Geneva, which he did in 
1541. Calvin's doctrine was essentially the same as that of Zwingli. He 

77 



set forth the doctrine of Election according to which "God has predestined 
some individuals to salvation, and foreordained all others to eternal con- 
demnation." He died at Geneva in 1564. 

The Eeformed doctrine also spread into some countries where Luther's 
doctrine at first prevailed. Elector Frederick III. of the Palatinate went 
over to the Reformed church in 1559, and by appointing Calvinistic teach- 
ers and preachers, he forced the Reformed doctrines upon his originally 
Lutheran province. He directed two Heidelberg professors, Ursinus and 
Olevianus, to prepare the "Heidelberg Catechism" in 1562. 

From Germany the Lutheran Reformation extended into 
Sweden, where it acquired complete and exclusive predomin- 
ance in 1527 (Gustavus Vasa), Denmark, Norway and Iceland 
(^Frederick L, 1527), into the Baltic Provinces Courland, 
Livonia and Esthonia. In these countries the Lutheran Con- 
fession alone prevailed. From Switzerland the Reformed doc- 
trine was carried to England (Elizabeth, 1563), Scotland 
(John Knox, 1572), Ireland and Holland. In all these countries 
the blood of martyrs was shed. 

Massacres and Fanaticism.— In France the Reformation 
was crushed out with much blood-shed. In the year 1570 equal 
rights were granted to the Protestants (called Huguenots, be- 
cause they held their meetings at night), by which they obtained 
free exercise of their religion. The most eminent men of the 
Protestant faith had been invited to a wedding and were 
assembled in Paris on the eve of St. Bartholomew's day, August 
24th, 1572. Suddenly at midnight, the castle-bell tolled. This 
was the signal for the butchery of all Huguenots. In Paris the 
bloody tragedy continued incessantly for four days. None were 
spared, neither children, women nor the aged. Couriers were dis- 
patched throughout the provinces with the murderous decree, 
and the slaughter was renewed. The number of the slaughtered 
is variously given from 30,000 to 100,000. Pope Gregory XIII. 
was so overjoyed upon receiving the news of the terrible butch- 
ery that he commanded all the bells in Rome to be rung, a 
grand Te Deum to be sung, and a medal to be struck in honor 

78 



of the glorious victory of the church. The Evangelical doctrine 
was similarly uprooted in Spain and Italy. The order of Jesuits, 
founded by Ignatius Loyola in 1540, aided in the suppression 
of Protestantism. 

Religious fanatics arose in Zwickau in the time of Luther. 
The cloth weaver Storch and the preacher Thomas Munzer were 
the leaders. They condemned Infant Baptism and taught that 
every adult must first " believe " and then be again baptized; 
from this they received the name Anabaptists. The Iconoclast 
Carlstadt in Wittenberg, who had been an adherent and co- 
laborer with Luther, joined these fanatics. Luther stood up 
firmly and preached against such fanaticism, for which he was 
greatly abused by those violent agitators. In 1524 the "Peasant 
War" broke out in the Black Forest. The following year the dis- 
turbances spread over a large extent of country. Munzer was 
at the head of the rebellious peasants, and excited to the wildest 
fanaticism. Thousands were murdered with unmerciful cruelty ; 
monasteries, castles and courts were attacked and destroyed. — 
Luther, in his reformatory work always firmly maintained civil 
authority, and preached that, the Gospel secured spiritual liberty 
but did not subvert civil government and social institutions. He 
always admonished to peace, appealing earnestly to the conscience 
of princes as well as to that of the peasantry. When the factious 
malcontents became still wilder and gained greater ascendancy, 
he called upon the princes to put down the satanic rebellion, 
which was speedily done at Frankenhausen, May 15th, 1525. 
Munzer was captured and beheaded. This fanatical insurrection 
caused the death of one-hundred thousand people. 

In the year 1534 Muenster, in Westphalia, became the gath- 
ering place of the Anabaptists. The tailor John Boclchold, of 
Leyden. the baker Matthiesen, of Harlem, and others found fa- 
natical coadjutors in the Protestant minister Rottmann and the 
burghers Knipper dolling and Krechting, and proclaimed the be- 
ginning of the Millennium. They gained many adherents and 

79 



soon succeeded in making themselves masters of the city. The 
council was deposed, churches sacked, and John Bockhold was 
proclaimed King under the name "John of Leyden." Polygamy 
was introduced, and the wildest licentiousness practiced. The 
city was besieged and captured, and the leaders were executed. 
King John with his governor Knipperdolling, and chancellor 
Krechting were pinched to death with red-hot tongs, and then 
hung up on the tower of St. Lambert's church in iron cages. 
(These cages were only removed in the winter of 1882 when the 
tower was taken, down to be re-erected). Some of the Anabap- 
tists took refuge in England from whom in later years the 
Baptists originated. 



26. ASSISTANTS IN THE REFORMATION. 

Melanchthon, the son of an armorer, who, as a spiritual 
armorer, prepared for the Church in her great Confession of faith 
both shields and weapon, stood faithfully by Luther. Among 
the other assistants worthy of special notice must be mentioned, 
John Bugenhagen (died 1558), of Pommerania — hence called 
Dr. Pommeranus. — He was specially gifted to lead in ecclesias- 
tical matters. For this reason he was called into other states to 
introduce the Reformation. He was finally appointed General 
Superintendent in Wittenberg. 

Spalatiil (died 1545) was court chaplain and finally superin- 
tendent at Altenburg. He exercised great influence at the court 
in behalf of the Eeformation. 

Still more intimately connected with Luther was the minister 
Frederick Myconius (died 1546) who when a boy begged of 
Tetzel to give him an indulgence free of charge. When a monk, 
his experience in striving for peace was similar to that of Luther. 
At his death he was Superintendeut in Gotha. 

Justus Jonas (died 1555) was a learned and eloquent preacher 
and Superintendent in Eisfeld. 

80 



Caspar Cruciger (died 1548) assisted Luther in the trans- 
lation of the Bible, and was diligent in introducing the Refor- 
mation into Leipzig. 

Lazarus Spengler (died 1535) was Eecorder in Niirnberg. 
He was a delegate to the diet at Worms, and also to that at 
Augsburg, and labored for the Evangelical cause. 

John Brenz has received the title " The Wiirttemberg Re- 
former." He was persecuted and obliged to flee ; but God won- 
derfully sustained him. He died in 1570 and was buried in the 
cathedral church in Stuttgart. 

Paul Speratus preached in the cathedral of St. Stephen in 
Vienna. He is the author of the hymn "Es ist das Heil uns 
kommen her " — " Salvation now to us has come." He was. obliged 
to flee, but received an appointment in Prussia and died in 
peace in 1554. 

Following close upon the Reformation there came a time of sifting of the 
Church. Whilst Luther yet lived the signs of the times were portentious, 
and he anticipated that a storm of tribulation for the Church was gathering. 
He writes : " I have prayed to God with great earnestness that He would 
restrain the counsel of the Papists, and not permit war to break out in 
Germany during my lifetime." After his death war broke out and raged 
with terrible fury, not only against the Church from without, but within 
the Church itself. The Lutheran Princes had formed a league at Smalcald 
against every assailant, including the Emperor Charles V., who labored 
zealously to bring them under the power of the Pope again. War broke 
out in 1546 and in the following year the Protestants were defeated, the 
Elector of Saxony made a prisoner, and Charles V. was master of Germany. 
He now had an order of faith prepared which was called the Interim, be- 
cause it was commanded that both Protestants and Roman Catholics should, 
for the time being, be guided by it. This demand amounted to an almost total 
suppression of the Reformation, hence the expression became popular 
among the Protestants: "The Interim has the rogue behind him." This 
"Interim" could only be introduced by force. In southern Germany alone 
over four hundred faithful Lutheran ministers, together with their wives 
and children wandered about homeless exiles and outlawed by the govern- 
ment. Not until the religious peace concluded at Augsburg in 1555 did 
the Protestants gain equal rights with the Roman Catholics. 

6 81 



-4- 




John Amdt. 

[Arndt was one of the most edifying writer's of the Church. Spener 
ranks him next to Luther. He was born at Ballenstaedt, in Anhalt, in 
1555, and studied at Helmstadt, Wittenberg, Strassburg and Basel. In 
1583 he became pastor at Badeborn. On account of his faithful adherence 
to the truth, he was deposed by Duke George, and went to Quedlinbiirg, 
where he labored for 9 years. In 1599 he accepted a call to Brunswick ; 
in 1608 to Eisleben, and in 1611 he was appointed by the Duke of Celle 
as Court-preacher and General Superintendent of the Church in his do- 
main — a position which he filled until his demise in the year 1621. He 
was accustomed to say : "Christ has many servants, but few followers" His 
treatise on "True Christianity," the best work of the kind that has ever 
appeared, was issued 1605-09. Translated into English by Dr. C. F. 
Schaefier. It can be obtained at the Pilger Book Store, Beading, Pa.] 
82 



Within the Church there had also arisen a sharp conflict concerning the 
true doctrine. Numerous controversies had been called forth by men who 
were not satisfied to receive the plain Word of Scripture, but in various 
ways substituted their own ideas as expressive of the sayings of Christ. 
Men of heroic zeal, however, did not permit the bitter conflict to discourage 
them in their efforts to deliver to future generations the precious treasures 
of grace secured by the Reformation. — The greatest danger the Church 
had to fear was from Crypto- Calvinism (Secret Calvinism). Men professing 
to be Lutheran, yet denying some of the distinctive Lutheran doctrines, 
especially the scriptural doctrine of the Lord's Supper — the presence of the 
glorified body and blood of Christ in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar — 
secretly endeavored to bring the Church of the Redeemer over to their 
Zwinglian and Calvinistic errors. These Crypto-Calvinists secretly en- 
deavored to have every prominent position filled by persons of their own 
views, and to secure the control of the Church by anonymous Calvinistic 
books. Among those who resisted these innovations and labored zealously 
for the preservation of sound doctrine were John Brenz, Joachim Westphal, 
Tilemann Heshusius, Martin Chemnitz, Nicolas Selnecker, Jacob Andrese, 
John Gerhard, David Chytraeus, Andreas Musculus and others. In order 
to restore the unity in the spirit, which the Apostle declares is the only 
proper bond of union, Eph. 4 : 3, it was necessary to establish a unanimous 
confession in which the doctrines in controversy would be clearly and dis- 
tinctly set forth as taught in God's Word. This confession was prepared at 
Bergen by the Theologians Andrese, Chemnitz, Nic. Selnecker, Chytraeus, 
Musculus and Koerner in the year 1577. It was called the Formula of 
Concord; was received with expressions of thanksgiving throughout the 
whole Church, and only looked upon with disfavor by those who preferred 
human opinions to sound doctrine. It was published, together with the 
other confessional writings of the Church, in one volume, under the title of 
Book of Concord, and promulgated on June 25th, 1580, the fiftieth anni- 
versary of the Augsburg Confession. It was at once signed by three Electors, 
twenty-one Dukes, twenty-two Counts, four Barons, thirty-five free Cities, and 
between eight and nine thousand Ministers, which numbers were in a few 
years largely increased. 

In that age the seed of God's planting grew and flourished and bore fruit. 
The present generation of Christians might well rejoice if it possessed the 
earnest spiritual life of those fathers. Call to mind the faithful vigilance 
of John Arndt (1621), who wrote the "True Christianity," Valerius 
Herberger, Philip Nicolai, Henry Mueller, Christian Scriver, 

83 



♦ 



and the devotional books they published, which to this day furnish us the 
true spiritual nourishment. Among the men of great learning, especially 
theologians, may be mentioned: Leonhard Hutter, John Gerhard, N. 
Hunnius, Con. Dannhauer, Abraham Calovius, A. Quenstedt, W. Baier, 
D. Hollaz, etc., by whose teachings the power of God was made manifest 
in the Church. 



27. GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS AND THE THIRTY 

YEARS' WAR. 

The peace of Augsburg had granted religious freedom to the 
Lutherans in Germany, but the papists only waited for a conve- 
nient opportunity to deprive them again of the privileges they 
had secured. The Jesuits declared that it was a great sin to 
come to an agreement with the enemies of religion, and exhorted 
all Roman Catholic princes to wash away, in the blood of the 
heretics, as they called the Lutherans, the guilt which they had 
thus incurred. 

The Emperor, being the head of the Roman Catholic party, 
took severe measures against the Protestants, going even so far 
as to lay strictures on their civil rights. In order to protect 
their political as well as their religious liberties, the Protestants 
formed a union May 4th, 1608, with Frederick IV., the Elector 
Palatine, at its head. 

In Bohemia there still lived many adherents of Huss, who en- 
joyed perfect toleration under their kings, the arch-dukes of 
Austria. But when the Emperor began to encroach upon their 
rights, and the Archbishop of Prague demolished their church at 
Clostergrab, and the abbot at Braunau closed their church at 
that place, they, in 1618, seized three councilors and threw them 
from the window of the Bohemian council chamber at Prague^ 
compelled the Catholic clergy to flee, took up arms, deposed 
King Ferdinand, and chose the Reformed Elector, Frederick V., 
as king (1619). Count Thurn at the head of an army repeatedly 
routed the imperial troops. The Catholic princes now crowded 

84 1 

t 



to the Emperor's aid, and although the Protestant princes of 
Germany sent some troops to assist the Bohemians, the combined 
aid received from their allies was not sufficient to compete with 
the imperial forces numbering 30,000, with which the Emperor 
Ferdinand again conquered the whole of Bohemia. He routed 
the Bohemians at Weissenberg near Prague, the new king was 
compelled to flee, and all Protestant ministers were banished 
from the country. Not content with the conquest of the Bohe- 
mians and the tyranny to which they were now subjected, the 
Emperor treated with equal severity all the Protestants in his 
dominions until they were driven to despair. The war continued 
and under the leadership of the able Generals Wallenstein and 
Tilly, the imperial troops overran both Germany and Denmark, 
and everywhere defeated the Evangelical Princes. The Protest- 
ants there received even more rigorous treatment, and Luther's 
doctrine was everywhere suppressed. In 1629, the Emperor was 
victorious throughout the whole Empire and promulgated the 
Edict of Restitution, by which the Evangelical Princes were com- 
manded immediately to give up all churches and church proper- 
ties that had come into their possession since the peace of Passau. 
The severity of these measures can be seen by the mention of 
but the single province of Silesia, in which more than one thou- 
sand churches w r ere taken from the Lutherans. Thick darkness 
now hung over the Church, and it appeared as if religious liberty 
were totally crushed. But God in His providence can turn 
darkness to light. He had chosen a liberator of Protestantism 
in the person of Gustavtjs Adolphtjs, King of Sweden, who 
came to the aid of Germany. 

GrUStavus AdolpllUS landed at Usedom on the Pommeranian 
coast, June, 1630, with 15,000 men. He soon drove the imper- 
ialists out of Pommerania. Securing the cooperation of the 
Electors of Saxony and Brandenburg he completely routed Tilly 
at Breitenfeld near Leipzig and shattered the supremacy of 
Roman Catholic Austria at a single blow. Hailed as the lib- 

85 

r 



4~ 



f 



erator of Protestantism, he marched victoriously towards the 
Rhine, gathering around him the friendly Germans, and driving 
out the imperial garrisons. He advanced as far as the Danube, 
and everywhere freed the Protestants from the oppression under 
which they had so long groaned. He routed Tilly again on the 
Lech, April 3d, 1632, and entered Munich. Wallenstein now 
gathered a new army to take the place of the one which had 
been well-nigh annihilated by Gustavus' successes, and marched 
into Saxony. Gustavus attacked the army of Wallenstein at 
Lutzen, near Leipzig on November 6th, 1632, and completely 
routed it. This victory was, however, dearly bought. Gustavus 
Adolphus, the renowned Swedish King, the honored saviour of 
religious liberty in Germany, fell in this battle. His death 
would have had the gravest consequences for the Evangelical 
Lutherans had the courage of the Swedes failed with the fall of 
their King. Wild with rage and sorrow they renewed the attack 
and overthrew the enemy. They carried the disfigured body of 
the king from the battlefield. It was laid to rest in the Riddar- 
holm Church in Stockholm. 

After various changes of fortune and many battles in which 
the Swedes were generally victorious, defeating the best generals 
of the Empire, and carrying devastation even to the gates of 
Vienna, they could propose terms of peace advantageous to Pro- 
testantism. The Emperor, was, by his numerous reverses and the 
ominous outlook for the future, forced to end the struggle which 
resulted in the celebrated Peace of Westphalia, which was con- 
cluded on the 24th of October, 1648, at Minister. In the evening 
at 9 o'clock of that day, the articles of the treaty of peace were 
signed. Immediately the Te Deum — "We praise Thee, O God," 
etc. — was sung, there was general rejoicing and many wept for 
joy. — The war had continued fourteen years after the death of 
Gustavus Adolphus, and thirty years since its beginning in 1618. 
Many cities and villages were reduced to ashes, the fields lay un- 
cultivated, and famine and pestilence had carried away thousands. 

> 86 



f 4 

Germany had lost two-thirds of its inhabitants, and to the present 
time has not fully recovered from the effects of this religious war. 
[The Rev. Dr. Krauth speaking of this (Cons. Ref., p. 19 ff.) 
says: "After the final struggle of the Thirty Years' War, 
Europe seemed ruined ; its fields had been drenched with blood, 
its cities laid in ashes, hardly a family remained undivided. 
* * * Had a war of three hundred years been necessary to 
sustain the Reformation, we now know the Reformation would 
ultimately have repaid all the sacrifices it demanded. Had our 
fathers surrendered the truth, even under that pressure to which 
ours is but a feather, how we would have cursed their memory, 
as we contrasted what we were with what we might have been. 

"And shall we despond, draw back and give our names to the 
reproach of generations to come, because the burden of the hour 
seems to us heavy ? God, in His mercy, forbid ! If all others 
are ready to yield to despondency, and abandon the struggle, we, 
the children of the Reformation, dare not. * * * The true 
and the good must be secured at any price. They are beyond 
all price. We dare not compute their cost. They are the soul 
of our being, and the whole world is as dust in the balance 
against them. No matter what is to be paid for them, we must 
not hesitate to lay down their redemption price. * * * Their 
price is never paid in vain. * * * If we maintain the pure 
Word inflexibly at every cost, over against the arrogance of 
Rome and of the weak pretentiousness of Rationalism, we shall 
conquer both through the Word ; but to compromise on a single 
point is to lose all, and to be lost."] 

At length the long looked-for peace was declared. In the 
treaty it was set forth and confirmed that the Protestants 
(Lutherans and Reformed) in Germany, Holland and Switzer- 
land should "forever" have equal rights (liberty of faith and 
conscience) with the Roman Catholics. The Pope has to this 
day refused to acknowledge this treaty of peace. 

87 

HI-» 
i 



GustaTUS Adolplms was born in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, 
December 9th, 1594. When but in his eighteenth year he ascended the 
throne. He was one of the most renowed heroes of his age, and the most 
accomplished prince of his century. He looked upon the danger which 
threatened his brethen in the faith in Germany as his own, and determined 
to come to the rescue. With 15,000 men he entered Germany. He began 
his work of deliverance from the thraldom of popery "With God," and 
hence God was with him. Not only was his army strictly disciplined but 
the spiritual interests of his soldiers were properly cared for, and daily 




Gustavus Adolplms, King of Sweden. 



morning and evening services were held in the camp. In all things the 
king afforded his people a good example. Upon reaching German soil he 
hastened to the relief of the Lutheran city of Magdeburg besieged by Tilly. 
But before he arrived Tilly had stormed the city and slaughtered thirty 
thousand men. When the massacre had begun, and no escape was possible, 
the school children formed in procession and marched over the market- 
place singing Luther's hymn : 

" Lord keep us steadfast in Thy Word, 
Curb Pope and Turk who by the sword 

88 



Would wrest the kingdom from Thy Son 
And set at naught all He hath done," etc. 

Enraged at the singing of these Lutheran children, Tilly, as a second 
Herod, ordered them all to be slain. 

After the city had been plundered and the remaining inhabitants sub- 
jected to the vilest atrocities and insults by the brutal Catholic soldiery, 
fire broke out in several streets and soon the whole city was a vast sheet of 
flame, so that in ten hours nothing, but the cathedral and a few fishermen's 
huts, remained of one of the finest cities of Germany. Tilly wrote to the 
Emperor : " Since the destruction of Troy and Jerusalem no such victory 
has been won as that at Magdeburg." From that day, however, success 
departed from him. Gustavus Adolphus met him near Leipzig, and com- 
pletely defeated the victor of thirty-six battles. He followed him into 
Bavaria and defeated him on the Lech, where Tilly fell mortally wounded. 
Gustavus was now the conqueror of the whole of Germany. The Emperor 
again called Wallenstein to the chief command, who, having gathered a 
new army, met the Swedes at Liitzen. On the 6th of November, 1632, the 
battle began. In the morning the Swedish king conducted the service. 
The whole army sang Luther's great hymn, "A mighty Fortress is our 
God," and Gustavus' own battle hymn, "Fear not, O Little Flock, the 
Foe." The king and his army kneeled down and offered prayer. A dense 
fog which prevailed rose about 10 o'clock. After the service the king 
mounted his horse and made an address to the army, and placed the latter 
in battle array. He gave the watchword " God with us," then swinging 
his sword above his head he uttered the word of command, and with the 
cry of "Onward!" he rushed forward followed by the eager troops. The 
Romanists were driven from their strong intrenchments ; but meanwhile 
their General Pappenheim arrived with a body of cavalry, and the Swedes 
were turned back. Gustavus rallied them, but approaching too near the 
enemy he received a shot in the arm, and, as he turned, another in the back, 
when exclaiming, " My God, my God," the great and good man fell from 
his horse mortally wounded. Duke Bernhard of Weimar at once took the 
command, and the Lutheran army rushed forward with an impetuosity 
which nothing could resist. Pappenheim fell mortally wounded, the 
Romish army retreated and the Lutherans were victorious. — The success 
of Gustavus Adolphus was no doubt owing to his preeminently religious 
principle, and to the moral influence which his deep-seated piety and his 
personal worth had over his soldiers. 

89 i 

T 



JL 



28. CHURCH SONG. 



HEN Luther introduced the lan- 
guage of the people into the ser- 
vice of the Church, he also pre- 
pared suitable spiritual hymns 
to be sung by the congregation. 
After the long night of the middle 
ages the morn of the Reformation 
broke upon the Church, and there 
followed a burst of sacred song 
such as the world had never 
heard before. As early as the 
year 1523, Luther sang of the 
martyrdom of Voes and Esch at 
q] Brussels. The same year he wrote the hymns: "Dear 
Christian people, now rejoice," and "Out of the depths I 
v£) cry to Thee." In his great humility he thought lightly 
of his abilities, and considered himself too awkward to 
strike the harp of David. Yet Luther was a poet and a musician 
of no mean pretensions, and all his productions show him to be 
a master also in this field. In 1524 the first hymn book of the 
Evangelical Church appeared. It contained but eight hymns, 
four of which were written by Luther. Five of the hymns 
were supplied with the tunes. The title of the book was the fol- 
lowing : 

"Several Christian Hymns, Songs of Praise and Psalms, in 
accord with the pure Word of God, from Holy Scripture, com- 
posed by different well-learned men, to be sung in Church, as is 
in part already the custom at Wittenberg." 

The same year two other hymn books were published. The 

90 




-A- 



* 



4- 



one was called "Enchiridion or Hand-book," and contained 25 
hymns, 18 of which were written by Luther. The second, en- 
titled "Spiritual Hymn-Book," for singing in 5 parts, had among 
32 hymns 25 of Luther's composition. 

In all thirty-seven hymns, each of permanent value, were writ- 
ten by the Reformer. Among those best known are the hymns : 
" From Heaven above to earth I come," " Come Holy Spirit, God 
and Lord," " Lord keep us steadfast in Thy Word," and that 
king of Christian hymns, the battle hymn of the Reformation, 
"A Mighty Fortress is our God." 

By means of these hymns the Reformation sang its way into 
the hearts of the people, and filled them with the power of the 
truth which the hymns contained. The spiritual hymns of the 
early Church were revived and sent forth on their holy mission 
in excellent translations ; new ones were added and were taken 
up by the people, whose spiritual character they helped to mould. 
These hymns were sung everywhere : in the streets and fields as 
well as in the churches, in the work-shop and the palace, by 
children in the cottage and by martyrs on the scaffold.' Luther 
is the great leader of the choir of sacred singers who, in the puri- 
fied temple of the Church of Christ, sang the New Testament 
Psalms, which will never cease as long as there are hearts to 
praise their God. 

Luther was also well pleased with a hymn-book containing the 
German hymns of the "Bohemian Brethren," published by 
Michael Weiss in the year 1531. 

A marked exception to this almost universal song is found in 
the countries that came under the influence of Calvinism, which 
seems to have had a tendency to stifle song, as it rejected the 
singing of hymns. 

The number of German Lutheran hymns at the present day is 
estimated at from eighty thousand to a hundred thousand. We 
here mention a few of the more prominent writers of hymns, next 
to Luther : 

91 



4 




Hans Sachs. 



Hans SacliS (1494-1576), a contemporary of Luther, lived at Niirnberg 
and was one of the most noted of the then famous master singers. A shoe- 
maker by trade, he composed a number of good hymns and thus rendered 
valuable assistance in advancing the Reformation. 

Dr. John Granmann (Poliander) was born in Bavaria in 1487. As a 
zealous Catholic he served Dr. Eck in the capacity of secretary in the dis- 
putation with Luther at Leipzig. He was there convinced of the truth as 
92 



JL 



♦ * 

advocated by Luther and became one of his adherents. He composed the 
hymn: "Nun lob mein Seel den Herren"(Now praise, my soul, the Lord). 

Nicholas Decius was a master in music. He had been a monk but 
sided with the Evangelical Lutheran doctrine. In 1524 he became pastor 
in Stettin, where he was put to death by poison in 1529. He is the author 
of " All glory be to God on high " and " Lamb of God, without blemish, on 
Calv'ry slain and suspended," etc. 

John Schneesing" (Chiomusus) of Frankfurt was a minister in Gotha in 
1534 and died 1567. He is the author of "Allein zu Dir Herr Jesu Christ" 
(Alone to Thee, Lord Jesus Christ). 

Nicholas Hermann was a pious chorister at Joachimsthal and an inti- 
mate friend of his pastor, Matthesius, whose sermons he readily trans- 
posed into the form of hymns. His compositions were eminently popular, 
e. g., " Sunk is the sun's last beam of light," " When my last hour is close 
at hand," " Ere yet the dawn has filled the skies," " Yea, as I live, Jehovah 
saith," "Praise ye the Lord, ye Christians." He entered the company of 
heavenly choristers in the year 1561. 

John Matthesius had been converted from Romanism by reading acci- 
dently some of Luther's tracts, and left the grammar school of Joachimsthal, 
of which he was rector, to become again a student at Wittenberg. Luther 
invited him to become one of the regular guests at his table and admitted 
him to his most intimate friendship. He wrote a biography of the Re- 
former, which is still a standard work. From Wittenberg he returned as 
pastor to Joachimsthal, where he labored for the rest of his life. He wrote 
some very good and sweet hymns ; of which several for the morning, for 
marriage, a cradle hymn, and for the miners, became very popular. His 
hymn, "My heart with deep emotion/' is found in nearly all Lutheran 
Hymn-Books. 

Paul Eber was the son of a poor tailor. As soon as he was old enough 
he went to Wittenberg to sit at Luther's feet. Luther invited him to his 
table, where he met Melanchthon, who took him for his amanuensis, tie 
became Professor of Hebrew and wrote a number of hymns, which have a 
tone of tenderness and pathos in them. In 1547, when the imperial armies 
were besieging Wittenberg, he wrote the hymn, " When in the hour of ut- 
most need." During the Thirty Years' War few hymns were used more 
constantly than this, both in public and private. Two of his hymns for 
the dying have always been in common use at deathbeds and funerals. 
The one is, "Lord Jesus Christ, true Man and God;" the other, 

93 



►■■♦- 



" In Jesu's wounds I fall asleep, 
They cleanse me from my sins so deep ; 
Yea, His dear blood, His righteousness, 
My jewels are, my glorious dress, 
Wherein before my God I stand 
When I shall reach the heavenly land," etc. 

Another of his hymns is, "Lord God we all give praise to Thee." Eber 
died in 1569. 

Bartholomew Ringwaldt (1530-1598), a preacher in Mark Branden- 
burg, was a true and faithful crossbearer. In the midst of many trials and 
distresses he composed and sang many beautiful hymns, prominent among 
which is: "The day is surely drawing near" (Es ist gewisslich an der Zeit,) 
"O Holy Ghost, Thou highest Good," "When all with awe shall stand 
around," " O God, Thou righteous, faithful Lord." 

Nicholas Selnecker (1530-1592), born near Niirnberg, already at the 
age of twelve years occupied the position of organist in the imperial court 
chapel. In 1549 he lived in Wittenberg with Melanchthon. He became 
court preacher in Dresden in 1558 and died at Leipzig, having suffered 
much persecution because of his steadfastness in doctrine. He is the author 
of "Let me be Thine forever" and "Forsake us not — O Lord be near," 
" O Lord my God, I cry to Thee ! " "We thank Thee Jesus, dearest Friend." 

Ludwig' Helmbold (1532-1598), born in Thiiringia, was co-rector in 

Erfurth and died whilst superintendent in Muhlhausen. On account of 

the many hymns which he composed he received the title, the German 

Asaph. Prominent among his hymns are, "I know that my Redeemer 

lives" and 

" Lord God from age to age secure 
The catechism's instruction pure." 

Philip Nicolai (1556-1608) was a pastor in Waldeck and was driven 
away by the Catholics in 1583. He was afterwards preacher at Unna, 
where fourteen hundred died from the pestilence in 1597. Here he com- 
posed two most beautiful hymns, "Wake, awake for night is flying" and 
" O morning star how fair and bright." He died at Hamburg. 

"Valerius Herberger (1564-1627) was born in Fraustadt, Poland. His 
father was also a poet. He became pastor in the city of his birth in 1584, 
and became widely known as the author of the " Heart-postil." He lived 
during the terrors of the early part of the thirty years' war. His hymn 
"Valet will ich dir geben" (Farewell I gladly give thee) was written dur- 
ing a plague in his native city, which carried away seven hundred and 
forty persons. 
94 



*L 



John Heermann (1585-1647) was a minister in Silesia who suffered 
much from the Roman Catholics. Whilst a student he had his home with 
Herberger and afterwards continued in intimate correspondence with him. 
Suffering much tribulation he still composed four hundred hymns, promi- 
nent among which are: "Lord Thy death and passion give," u O God, 
thou faithful God," " O Christ, our true and only Light," " Thine honor 
rescue, righteous Lord." 

Martin Rinkart, pastor at Eilenberg in Saxony (died 1648), is the 
author of "Now thank we all our God," which has been styled the Te 
Deum of Germany. 

Paul Flemmingf (1606-1640) was the son of a minister in Voigtland. 
He studied medicine, and joined an embassy to Moscow. On the journey 
he composed " In alien meinen Thaten." He is also the author of " Hark, 
the Church proclaims her honor." He was shipwrecked on a journey to 
Persia, returned to Hamburg in 1639, and died the next year. 

John Matthew Meyfartll (1590-1642), a native of the Grand Duchy of 
Gotha, was a professor in Coburg in 1617, and closed a life of affliction 
whilst pastor at Erfurth. He is the author of "Jerusalem, thou city, fair 
and high." 

Joshua Stegmann (1588-1632) was born at Salzfeld in Franconia, 
studied at Leipzig and in due time acquired a reputation as a man of great 
learning. He was honored with the title "Doctor of Theology" and made 
professor. Violenty persecuted by the monks, he died at the age of forty- 
four years. He wrote the hymn " Abide with us our Saviour." 

John Hist (1607-1667), the son of a pastor, was born in Holstein and 
was pastor at Hamburg. During the thirty years' war he was subjected to 
much tribulation, in which time he composed his best hymns. Hist pub- 
lished six hundred and eleven hymns, "pressed out of him," as he said, 
"by the cross." He lived, after peace was again declared, to enjoy many 
years of prosperity, being appointed Poet Laureate to the Emperor and 
finally clothed with the rank of nobility. Among his hymns are : " O liv- 
ing Bread from heaven," " Arise the kingdom is at hand," " Eternity ! ter- 
rific Word ! " " Rise, O Salem, rise and shine," " Help us, O Lord, behold 
we enter," "O darkest woe, ye tears forth flow," and "Sink not yet, my 
soul, to slumber." 

Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) was next to Luther, the prince of Lutheran 
hymnographers. He was born at Grafenhainichen, and when he was 
eleven years of age the thirty years' war broke out. He studied in Wit- 

95 




Paul Gerhardt. 



tenberg, became a minister of the Gospel in 1652, and in 1657 was called 
as pastor of the Nicolai Church in Berlin. He was an eminently pious 
man and conscientiously faithful to the confessions of the Church. On ac- 
count of this faithfulness he was banished from Berlin by the Reformed 
Elector. His hymns are among the most excellent which the Church 
possesses. Prominent among them are : " Commit thou all thy griefs," " O 
Sacred Head now wounded," " O enter Lord Thy temple," " O how shall I 
receive Thee," "If God Himself be for me," "Emmanuel! we sing Thy 
praise," and the hymn for spring and summer, "Go forth, my heart, and 
96 



JL. 



seek delight." He is the author of 131 hymns, all of which possess great 
merit. 

John Frank (1618-1677) was the son of an advocate in Guben, Saxony. 
He also became an advocate, councilor and burgomaster of the town, and 
representative of the province. He ranks only second to Gerhardt as a 
hymn-writer, and is the author of the following hymns, " Light of the 
Gentile nations," "Lord to Thee I make confession," "Lord God, we 
worship Thee," "Jesu, priceless treasure," "Deck thyself, my soul, with 
gladness." 

George Neumark (1621 — 1681) was librarian to the Duke of Weimar. 
His hymns give evidence of great trust in God and patience in affliction. 
He is the author of "If thou but suffer God to guide thee," "My God I 
leave to Thee my ways." 



We have given but a few of the prominent hymn-writers 
which the Church produced during and since the Reformation. 
To these might be added the names of scores of others of that 
ag;e and of more recent times who have enriched the sacred 

CD 

treasury of Church song, such as Miiller, Scriver, Schmolk, 
John Scheffler, T. Claussnitzer, Rosenroth, Deszler, William II., 
Duie of Saxe- Weimar, John Olearius, Ludaemilia Elizabeth 
(Countess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt), Aemilia Juliane (Count- 
ess of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt), Louise Henrietta (Electress of 
Brandenburg), and others. During the last and present century 
England and America have also furnished a large number of 
good hymns which have exerted a great influence in the Church. 







97 



4- 



T. THE MODERN ERA. 

(1648—19 Century.) 



29. THE PIETISTS : SPENER, FKAXCKE, ETC. 

ATJL GERHARDT, the faithful witness, 
had scarcely closed his eyes in death 
(1676), when God raised up other men 
who recognized what was necessary for 
the welfare of the Church, and who zeal- 
ously labored to heal the affliction of Joseph. In 
the struggle for purity of faith, some men had, in 
their zeal, gone too far and had themselves mingled 
strange fire with it. By such men even John 
Arndt, whose " True Christianity " has been*- in- 
trumental in leading many thousands of souls to 
light and salvation, had suspicion cast upon him 
and was accused as an erroist. The period of the 
Church's bloom, in which the truth was earnestly 
confessed, was followed by a season of spiritual cold- 
ness. The truth of Luther's words had been verified when he said, 
that " the Word of God is seldom retained in its purity in any one 
place beyond the period of twenty or at best forty years. The 
people become accustomed to it, grow cold and receive God's gifts 
of grace with indifference." The truth of this is evident in our 
day. Henry Milller, who died in 1675, lamenting over the con- 
dition of things in the Church, said : " The Christianity of to-day 
has four dumb church idols, the Baptismal font, the Pulpit, the 
Confessional and the Altar. It comforts itself upon being 

98 




baptized, that it hears God's Word, that it can go to Confession 
and receive the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, but it denies the 
inner power of the Gospel." Many thousands at that time still 
retained the outward form of the true faith, but there was a lack 
of true heartfelt repentance. The Lord , however, who never 
forgets His Church, again graciously interfered, and caused it to 
nourish with new life. 

One of the men whom God raised up for this work was 
Philip Jacob Spener. Upon the foundation of " Arndt's 
True Christianity" and the hymns of Paul Gerhardt, he con- 
tinued to build further. He was deeply affected by the distress 
of his congregation. As the remedy he recognized God's Word 
and prayer. He gathered young people around him with whom 
he prayed and to whom he expounded the Scriptures. His cate- 
chetical exercises, intended originally for the children of the 
congregation, were attended by many of riper years who received 
much benefit from them. By the introduction of Confirmation 
he sought to arouse the spiritual life of the young. In 1670 he 
began in Frankfurt to hold the Bible-lectures, which were soon 
extensively adopted by other pastors. His adherents were 
called Pietists. In 1694 a University was founded at Halle, 
mostly by pietists, through which pietism was widely dissemi- 
nated. Halle became the centre of the pietistic movement, and 
the Pietists were sometimes called "Hallenser." 

Spener, in his zeal for true piety, never, in the least swerved 
from the principles of the Lutheran faith, he only sought to 
revive living Faith, where dead orthodoxy alone existed. He 
found in the Lutheran Church the true doctrine in its purity 
which enabled it more than any other to exhibit the most 
genuine Christian piety. Hence he labored to convert the 
outward orthodox confession into an inner living theology of the 
heart, and a demonstration thereof in true piety of life. He 
never tolerated unionistic tendencies by which any of the dis- 
tinctive doctrines of the Gospel as confessed by the Church 

99 



-f 



would be compromised. His "pietism" was not "pietism" pro- 
perly so called, but the "piety" of the Scriptures, which de- 
mands purity of doctrine and purity of life. 

Many men of penetrating minds saw in this new movement 
great danger to the Church. Nor were their fears altogether 
unfounded. Religious pride and boasting of their piety soon 
showed itself among such who claimed to be awakened to new 
life. Distressing excrescences made their appearance. Many 
learned to produce methodistical penitential feelings and to 
speak of spiritual experiences, when at the same time the heart 
was and remained cold and dead. This most dangerous tendency 
produced its legitimate fruits. In due time it begat the other 
extreme, Rationalism, which, at a later period, took the place 
of Pietism at Halle. Originally it was quite different. Spener 
never dreamt of the excesses to which his simple piety would 
lead those who did not comprehend the power of God's Word 
and the humility which characterized living faith. His piety, 
and that of his immediate associates, was the piety of true 
Orthodox believers, that of many of his followers was the spirit 
of fanaticism which discards doctrine and boasts of human merit, 
a repetition of the old Romish doctrine of "Justification by 
works." — God was with His servants and blessed the work of 
those who honestly labored to re-establish living Christianity. 
We need but call to mind Augustus Hermann Francke, who, 
with only seven florins in hand, but with a heart filled with the 
faith that could remove mountains, established the Orphans' 
Home at Halle ; and the Baron Von Canstein (died in 1719), 
who devoted all his property for the establishment of the Halle 
Bible Institute, by which millions of Bibles have been distributed 
among mankind. We call attention to a few of the leading men 
of that period. 

Philip Jacob Spener (1635—1705) was born of pious parents in Eap- 
poltsweiler in Elsass. On account of his distinguished talents, rare learn- 
ing, and religious zeal, he was chosen senior of the ecclesiastical Minis- 
100 



terium of Frankfurt-on-the-Main when but thirty-one years of age (1666). 
In 1686 he became chief court preacher in Dresden, and having been 
forced to leave Dresden on account of his great zeal for true piety, he 
became Provost in Berlin in 1691, where he died. 
August Hermann Francke (1663—1727) was born at Liibeck and 




August Hermann Francke. 

became a pupil of Spener, with whom he was most intimately associated 
until the death of the latter. On account of his piety he was persecuted in 
Leipzig, Hamburg and Erfurt, until he became pastor and professor at 
Halle in 1692. Here he labored until his death, a period of thirty-five 

101 



years. By means of his sermons, and his faithfulness in pastoral duties, he 
accomplished a great amount of good. With reference to those who were 
evil-disposed towards him, he was accustomed to say : " By their fruits ye 
shall know them." It is well known how this man of faith founded the 
great Orphans' Home at Halle by means of the freewill offerings of the 
people. In this institution 2507 children received gratuitous instruction, 
taught by 175 teachers ; 143 orphans were reared, and 150 pupils and 225 
indigent students received their whole support out of the Orphan-house 
treasury. Francke, however, not only took care of the orphan children, but 
also of the Church in its orphaned condition. Through his energy able min- 
isters, pastors, teachers and missionaries were trained at Halle and sent out 
into the world to testify, by their word and life, to the divine power of the 
Gospel. By his efforts the first Lutheran missionaries were sent to India 
(Bartholomew Ziegenbalg, H. Plutschau and others) and America received 
from his institution the first Lutheran pastors (Dr. Henry Melchior Muh- 
lenberg and others), to gather the scattered Germans on this Continent into 
congregations and break unto them the bread of life. Francke' s institutions 
constitute at the present day a suburb of Halle. He died at the age of 64 
years. 

Charles Henry yon Bogatzky (1690 — 1774) was born in lower Silesia. 
He was of noble birth and studied at Breslau with such diligence that his 
health was impaired. At Halle he, with great reluctance, visited Francke, 
because he had been told such terrible things about the Pietists. In 1715 
his resolution to study theology very much offended his father. During 
his theological course he wrote his " Golden Treasury," which appeared in 
1718. Not able to preach because of the delicate state of his health, he de- 
voted himself to private pastoral work and to writing. After the death of 
his wife he lived with his two small children in great poverty. In 1746 
he removed to the Orphan-house at Halle where he lived rent free and re- 
ceived fuel and light, for which he gave instruction. He died in his 
eighty-fourth year, highly esteemed by all who knew him. 

Dr. John Jacob Rambach (1693 — 1735) was born at Halle. His pious 
parents desired to have him educated. But when the boy saw how much 
self-denial his studying at the university imposed on his parents, he re- 
solved to aid his father, and began to learn the carpenter's trade. Two 
years later he sprained his ankle so that he was obliged to give up the 
trade. He now resumed his studies. In the year 1723, when but thirty 
years of age he became professor at Halle. So popular was he that the 
lecture rooms were not large enough to accommodate his auditors. He 
102 



manifested special power in prayer. Fresenius says of him: "He seemed 
like the Old Testament high priest who stood with the breast-plate before 
the Lord." His works of beneficence were mostly performed in secret, and 
only became known after his death. He is the author of the well-known 
hymn, "Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I'm baptized in Thy dear name." 

Ernest Gottlol) Woltersdorf (1725 — 17G1) was born in Berlin, studied 
at Halle, and became pastor in Bunzlau in 1748. The church was too 
small to hold the vast congregations which thronged to hear him, and 
hence he often preached in the open air. After his exhaustive labors 
during the day, he spent part of the night in writing hymns and psalms. 
He also established an Orphan-house. Those whom he confirmed were 
greatly attached to him. He died at the early age of thirty-six years. 

Dr. John Reinhard Hedinger (1664 — 1704) was born in Stuttgart, and 
in 1694, when thirty years of age, received the title of D.D., and became 
professor in Giessen and Counsellor of the Consistory at Stuttgart. Being 
chosen court preacher, he warmly admonished his frivolous prince. On 
one occasion when the latter was about to desecrate the Lord's day, He- 
dinger stepped before the carriage and remarked : " If your serene high- 
ness is satisfied with a little cap full of blood just drive on." The prince 
felt the force of his words and returned. Hedinger's Explanation of the 
New Testament is a very edifying work. 

Two events occurred during the time of Spener and Francke 
which clearly show that the hatred of the Roman Catholics against 
the Protestants had by no means diminished. The first is what 
is known as the Massacre of Thorn. In the year 1724 the 
Protestant city of Thorn, inhabited mostly by Germans, belonged 
to Poland. During a Roman Catholic procession the Protestant 
spectators did not uncover their heads as it passed by. The 
Catholics sought to compel them, but they steadily refused and 
an uproar ensued in which the cloister and the Roman Catholic 
high-school suffered greatly by the ruin wrought. Accusation 
was brought against the Protestants and by order of the Polish 
King the worthy Burgomaster and nine other citizens were 
executed. 

The second event is the Banishment of the Salzfourgers. 
From the time of the Reformation there were many Lutherans 

103 



in the province of Salzburg, Austria. In 1729 Count Firmian, 
the Archbishop, attempted forcibly to convert the Lutherans, 
who had been tolerated up to this time as quiet and industrious 
subjects. All books of devotion were taken from them and 
many were cast into prison. In consequence of these persecu- 
tions they formed the Covenant of Salt in 1731. A large num- 
ber of them assembled on a Sunday morning in a rocky valley. 
On a table stood a vessel with salt ; they knelt down and offered 
j)rayer. Then, moistening the fingers of the right hand, they 
dipped them into the salt, and raising the hand toward Heaven, 
they solemnly swore never to forsake the Lutheran faith. In 
spite of the intervention of Protestant princes, in the bitter winter 
of 1731, all Lutherans were banished from house and home. 
About thirty thousand left their fatherland and were gladly 
welcomed in Prussian Lithuania, where a large number of 
them remained. Others emigrated to America and found a 
home in Ebenezer, Georgia, where they could exercise their faith 
unmolested. 



30. MISSIONS. 

The Christian Church always regarded it a sacred duty to 
labor for the spreading of the Gospel among the heathen, and by 
about A. D. 1000, the most of the countries of Europe had be- 
come Christianized. After that ,time the zeal for missionary 
labor among the heathen expired. During the Reformation 
period the Jesuits endeavored to establish the authority of the 
Pope in heathen countries, for which purpose Roman Catholic 
missionary societies were established. Unfortunately the Catholic 
missionaries were satisfied if their new converts were only bap- 
tized and could make the sign of the cross, little or no stress 
being laid upon a change of heart. Of far greater importance 
are the missionary efforts of the Protestant Church. The revival 
of practical Christianity, which proceeded from pietism, con- 

104 i 



•♦■-< 






tributed greatly also to the extension of missionary efforts among 
the heathen. Frederick IV., of Denmark, had possessions in 
East India, and he desired to send missionaries to his heathen 
subjects. He therefore established at Tranquebar the first Lu- 
theran Mission in the East. As he could not secure any mission- 
aries in Denmark he turned to Halle, where Francke succeeded in 
securing two very excellent and zealous laborers, Bartholomew 
Ziegenbalg and Henry Pluetsctiau who were willing to carry 
the Gospel to the Tamuls. In 1706 they set sail for India. In 
Tranquebar, Ziegenbalg translated the Bible, the Catechism, 
hymns and prayers into the Tamul language and thus faithfully 
laid the firm foundation upon which the Leipzig Mission among 
the Tamuls has to this day continued to build. Ziegenbalg died 
in 1719. This Danish East India Mission extended its labors 
also into the English possessions. The Orphan-house at Halle 
furnished it with quite a number of excellent missionaries. 

Christian Frederick Schwarz was the most prominent of 
the earlier Protestant Missionaries, and is very properly styled : 
the Patriarch of Lutheran Missions. Even to this day Schwarz 
is revered among the Tamuls as the "Priest of Kings." He 
labored as a missionary for fifty years and has had few if any 
equals in modern times. Schwarz was born October 26th, 1726, 
at Sonnenburg in the Neumark, Germany. He arrived at 
Tanquebar in India in 1750, and applied himself with such dili- 
gence to the learning of the language that he could within a year 
preach his first sermon in Tamul. His career is a beautiful ex- 
ample of what may be accomplished when piety, integrity and 
good sense unite harmoniously in a man. He attained such high 
esteem among all classes of people that he is still gratefully re- 
membered. The fruits of his labors were manifested in that he 
was able to baptize large numbers of the heathen. So greatly did 
the native rulers admire his integrity, that once, when Hyder Ali, 
of Mysore, who had opposed the British with an army of one hun- 
dred thousand men, was arranging peace with the Madras (Brit- 

105 



JU 



ish) government, he demanded that Schwarz should act as their 
agent — "him and no other one," said the Sultan, "will I trust." 
The British therefore sent him as peace commissioner. The 
prince, who had been devastating the country, gave orders to his 
officers: "Not to impose any burdens upon Father Schwarz for 
he is a holy man and means it well with me." During the Car- 
natic war a striking testimony was given of the universal 
respect entertained for his character. The inhabitants and gar- 




Christian. Frederick Schwarz. 

rison of Tanjore were dying of starvation, and neither the British 
nor the Rajah could induce the cultivators to sell them provi- 
sions. In despair Schwarz was appealed to, and when he gave 
his word that payment should be made, the farmers believed him 
and sent the requisite supplies. After the death of Schwarz in 
1798, his pupil King Serfodshi caused a beautiful monument to 
be erected to his memory in the Lutheran Church at Tanjore. 

106 



Hans Egede, of Norway, moved by the love of God, became 
very much concerned for the inhabitants of Greenland. He had 
no rest, until with his family he could tread upon the icy land 
in 1721. He labored unwearedly amidst incredible hardships 
among the Esquimaux, lived with them in their huts and learned 
their language amid the greatest privations, but with an unwa- 
vering faith. 

Among the first missionaries to the American Indians was 
John Campanius who came as chaplain of a Swedish Colony 
near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1642. He translated Lu- 
ther's Small Catechism into the language of the Delaware* In- 
dians. John Eliot (1603 to 1690) was one of the most noted 
Indian missionaries. In South Africa George Schmidt settled 
among the Hottentots in 1727, and preached the Gospel. In the 
Southern Pacific Ocean Samuel Marsden labored for forty-five 
years from 1793, with great success. Among successful missionary 
efforts are those of the Moravian Brethren. Their first foreign 
missionary field was the West Indies, where their missionaries 
Dober and Nitschmann landed in 1732. At the present day the 
Moravian missionary enterprises include seventeen countries with 
ninety-nine stations and 73,000 souls. In the year 1795, the 
London Missionary Society was founded, and since that time 
numerous mission institutions have sprung into existence. The 
most prominent of the German societies are the Basel, estab- 
lished in 1816, which has stations in West Africa, India and 
China; Berlin, established in 1823, which operates in South 
Africa; the Bhenish, or Barmen Mission, established in 1828, 
has stations in South Africa, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Nias; 
the North German, or Bremen Mission, established in 1835, 
occupies West Africa and New Zealand. The Leipzig Society, 
established in 1836, operates in India; Gossner's Society, estab- 
lished in 1849, in India; the Berlin Chinese Mission, estab- 

* A copy of this work is in the Philadelphia Library. 

107 



f 



♦■♦— ' — — * »-) 

lished in 1852, in China; the Hermannsburg Mission, estab- 
lished in 1849, has stations in South Africa, India and Australia. 
The most recently established missionary institute Breckllim in 
Schleswig-Holstein, founded by Pastor Jensen, has just occu- 
pied a field of operations in India. In England, Scotland 
and America the several denominations have nearly all their 
own missions. The Lutheran Church here has, since 1840, 
stations in India, and more recently one in Africa. Much 
has been done in the foreign mission field by Evangelical 
missionaries. In several countries the Christian Church has 
already been securely established; e. g., among the Kolhs (the 
Gossner Mission) in India, upon the West India Islands and on 
the Sandwich and other islands in the Pacific Ocean. The same 
can also be said of Cape Colony, Sierra-Leone and Liberia in 
Africa, and in Greenland and Labrador. The progress of Chris- 
tianity is very promising in Japan, in China, upon the Island of 
Madagascar, New Zealand, New Hebrides and in Sumatra. Nor 
must we forget the labors of Livingstone (died 1873) in Africa. 
The importance of the work already accomplished is seen in the 
fact that the Word of God has been translated, printed and 
circulated in 250 languages. "We will yet call attention to a 
man who in recent years has done much for heathen missions, 
Pastor Harms. . : . 

Louis Harms (1808 — 1865), born at Hermannsburg, Hannover, was 
educated at Gottingen and became assistant to his father in his native 
town. For twenty-one years he was pastor at Hermannsburg, on the 
Liineburg heath, where he also died. In 1849 he began the Hermanns- 
burg mission work, and sent his first missionaries to South Africa to estab- 
lish Christian colonies. He built a ship and sent it on the first missionary 
voyage Oct. 18th, 1853. In 1854 he established a printing press and a 
journal of missionary intelligence. He established an annual missionary 
festival, held in June in the open air, and attended by thousands of persons, 
including strangers from all parts of Europe. The missionaries sent out from 
his institution are found in every quarter of the globe. Harms devoted his 
whole life to the service of the Lord, laboring as few are able to labor in 
108 



JL+ 



preaching and pastoral work, publishing books, and attending to an enor- 
mous correspondence. Besides the two regular Sunday services he held a 
third service every Sunday in the parsonage. Sitting in his chair and 
smoking his long pipe, he spoke to the people in their native Platt-Deutsch 
(low German) tongue. He was a man of earnest prayer who carried his 




Louia Harms. 

congregation upon his priestly heart. He labored until his strength was 
completely exhausted, and when at length too weak to stand he preached 
sitting in an armed chair. Wearied of life and ready to depart he con- 
ducted a service eight days before his death, which occurred at the age of 
57 years. 

109 



31. THE PERIOD OF SO-CALLED ILLUMINATION. 

The period of time from the year 1750-1820 is without doubt the 
darkest and saddest in the history of the Church since the Refor- 
mation. During this period Rationalism had taken the place of 
true faith in the Gospel, among a large number of professed 
Christians. Not until after the dire distress of cruel war, when 
Christians again learned to pray, did men, grounded in the truth, 
arise to show that in the so-called religion of reason, there is to 
be found neither true reason nor true religion. The perversions 
of God's Word in those days by such who professed to be 
preachers of the Gospel were fearful. The simple truths of 
Scripture were neither believed nor taught by many of the 
learned, and the results were most disastrous to the Church. 
There were ministers in those times who on the Holy Festival of 
Christmas would preach "On feeding cattle;" on Green Thurs- 
day, "On the cultivation of greens"; en Easter morning, "On 
the advantages of early rising." All the miracles of our Lord 
were explained away, Jesus was set forth as only an example of 
virtue, the mediatorial death of Christ was stamped a fable. 
Reason took the place of the Bible ; instead of acknowledging 
God, men spake of a " Supreme Being " or "Providence " ; instead 
of Faith, they extolled " Virtue " ; instead of Repentance, they 
spake of " Improvement." Hymn-books were altered and the 
most sacred hymns were re-cast and modelled to suit the new 
ideas. The people were deprived of their old hymn-books and 
the " improved " (debased) ones were introduced, in which every 
fool had mutilated the old, pure hymns according to his own 
notion. Whilst formerly the same hymns were found and sung 
throughout all Germany, there were now individual cities in 
which from six to eight different hymn-books were used. Instead 
of the old, truly Christian devotional books, as "Arndt's True 
Christianity," such books as WitscheVs " Morning and Evening 
Sacrifice," and Zschokke's "Hours of Devotion," — books which 
no 



contain precious little or nothing of true Christianity — were put 
into the hands of the people. 

Among the most honorable personages of the Church of that 
period were : the Christian poet, Christian Fiirchtegott Oellert, 
professor in Leipzig (1715-1767); Matthew Claudius (1740- 
1815) ; Hamann, of Konigsberg (1730-1788) ; J. G. Von Herder 
(1744-1803) ; Pastor Oberlin (1740-1826), of Steinthal, the first 
founder of Sunday School instruction ; Lavater, who died in 
1801, and the devout Jung Stilling, who died in 1817. 

During this period the bread of life was carried across the 
ocean and brought to the scattered children of the Church in 
America. In the year 1742 G. A. Fran eke, of Halle, sent the 
pious pastor Henry Melchior Muhlenberg to Pennsylvania. He 
w T as soon followed by other devoted pastors.* At the beginning 
of the present century, in the year 1817, Frederick William III., 
King of Prussia, made an effort to bring about a union between 
the Lutheran Church and the Reformed, but his work proved 
abortive, as he only succeeded in establishing a third church 
beside the two already existing. Churchly consciousness, which 
had again taken root, now sprang into life and men again turned 
zealously to the old paths. Many, however, had to pay dearly 
for their firm adherence to the truth. Faithful Lutheran pastors 
were deposed from office and imprisoned because truth was of 
more value to them than a spurious union although promulgated 
by the king ; others for the same reason were threatened with 
severe punishment and placed under the surveillance of the police. 
In consequence of this oppression of the Lutherans, many sought 
a home in foreign lands, some emigrating to Australia, whilst the 
larger number came to America, where the Church could develop 
without interference from the State. 

* See "Halle Keports," published in English by the Pilger Book Store, 
Reading, Pa. 



Ill 



4 



32. THE CHURCH IN AMERICA. 

Among the earliest religious confessors in the permanent settle- 
ments of America we find Lutherans. With the Dutch Reformed, 
who settled New Amsterdam (New York) in 1622, there came 
Lutherans who were worthy successors of their martyred country- 
men in the Netherlands, whom no persuasion could induce to 
enter into the communion of the churches that subscribed to 
another creed. Hence they were destined to share the fate of 
their brethren in their former home. They were imprisoned and 
their religious services broken up. Dutch Lutherans also settled 
on James Island, South Carolina, as early as 1674, who suffered 
proscription from the Church of England, as did their brethren 
in the north from the Dutch Reformed. 

In 1637 the first Lutherans arrived in Pennsylvania from 
Sweden. They settled on the Delaware from Wilmington to 
Philadelphia. The first church was built within the walls of 
Fort Christiana, Wilmington, about 1638. One of their great 
objects was to plant the Christian religion among the heathen. 
The first minister of this colony, and indeed the first Lutheran 
minister in America, was Rev. Reorus Torkillus, who, after eight 
years' service, died in 1643. 

One of the first ministers of this colony, and the first mission- 
ary to the Indians, was Rev. John Campanius, who came in 
1642 with John Printz, the second governor of the colony. He 
was faithful in his calling, not only as the spiritual guide of his 
own countrymen, but in the interest he manifested in the natives, 
and the simplicity and tenderness with which he unfolded to 
them the great mystery of the Gospel. He addressed himself 
diligently to the study of their language, that he might the more 
readily proclaim to them in their own tongue the wonderful 
works of God. The early appearance of Luther's Small Cate- 
chism in the language of the Delaware Indians is an evidence of 
his zeal and his success. 

The second Lutheran church in this country and the first in 

112 



f 



4- 



Pennsylvania was built in 1646 in Delaware Co. The first 
Lutheran minister who was sent to labor among the Dutch 
Lutherans in New York, was Rev. Ernest Goetwater, who arrived 
in 1657. The year previous we find a Lutheran congregation as 
far north as Albany, N. Y. In 1665 the first Lutheran church 
was erected in New York City. In the year 1703 the rite of Lu- 
theran ordination was administered for the first time in America 
in Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia, the clergyman ordained being 
the Rev. Justus Falkner. 

In 1734 the Salzburgers, who were driven from their homes 
by violent persecutions, settled in Ebenezer, Georgia, bringing 
their ministers, John Martin Bolzius and Israel Christian Gronau, 
with them. Quite a large number of Germans had preceded 
these exiles, some as early as 1680, but especially from 1708- 
1720, under Queen Anne, of England, and from 1720-1730. 
These were, however, scattered mostly over New York and Penn- 
sylvania. After this time immigration flowed into this country 
with few interruptions in a steady stream, Lutherans finding 
their way into every State. In 1739 we find a settlement of 
Lutherans from Germany at Broad Bay, in the State of Maine. 

In 1742 Dr. Melchior Muehlenherg, the patriarch of the 
Lutheran Church in America, landed at Philadelphia, and at 
once set to work to minister to the spiritual wants of the people 
and bring order out of the chaos which existed. The following 
year the first German Lutheran church — St. Michael's — in 
Philadelphia was built. 

[The first service was held in it on Oct. 20th, 1743. At that time, "the 
windows had no panes and the floor was not laid ; light was admitted be- 
tween the boards with which the windows were closed, and boards placed 
on blocks were the seats of the hearers." ] 

The following year, 1744, Muhlenberg was reinforced by the 
arrival of three others, Rev. Peter Brunnholtz and Messrs. 
Schaum and Kurtz, students of theology, who were in due time 
ordained and proved faithful in their work. 

s 113 



In 1748 the first Lutheran Synod in America was organized 
in Philadelphia, which is to this day known as " The German 
Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania and adjacent 
States." The ministers present were: Revs. Sandin and Naes- 
mann, of the Swedish church, and Muhlenberg, Brunnholtz, 
Handschuh, Kurtz and Hartwig of the German. 

In 1749 Lutherans had already found their way to Nova 
Scotia. 

Up to the year 1800 the Church was almost exclusively Ger- 
man, (although Dr. Muhlenberg sometimes officiated in English 
when occasion demanded) except the Swedish congregations, 




St. Michael's Church, Philadelphia. 



Ml-*-- 



which, becoming English, were afterwards swallowed up by the 
Episcopalians. The first exclusively English congregation was 
St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, organized 
in 1806. The oldest Lutheran congregation in America, which 
has had an uninterrupted existence for over two hundred years, 
is the " First Lutheran Church " at Albany, N. Y. This congre- 
gation was originally "Dutch," and rather than have their chil- 
dren baptized by Reformed ministers, the fathers allowed them- 

114 



t 



selves to be cast into prison. Afterwards the congregation be- 
came German, and now it is English. 

The rapid growth of the Church in the time of Muhlenberg, both in 
numbers and material things is seen by a glance at the congregation in 
Philadelphia. By 1766 St. Michael's Church had become entirely inade- 
quate for the congregation and it was resolved to build a larger one. The 
corner stone of this — called Zion Church — was laid on the 16th of May of 
that year and it was finished in 1769, at a cost of eight thousand pounds, 
exclusive of the lot. This church was the largest and handsomest in 
North America. The roof and ceiling were supported by eight large Doric 
columns which served for bases for the arches of the ceiling, which was 
ornamented and finished in a most magnificent manner, no expense being 




Zion. Evangelical Lutheran Church, Philadelphia. 



spared in finishing the inside of the church. It contained the best organ 
in America.* 

After this period, partly from a lack of ministers, partly because of the 
deplorable condition of the Church in Germany on account of nationalism, 
and partly from an aversion to the English language for the benefit of those 
who became Americanized, the progress of the Church was slow. 

In 1787, the Ministerium of New York was organized with 
fourteen ministers. In 1818, the Synod of Ohio was founded. 
Two years later that of Maryland and Virginia. 

* On the death of General George Washington, the United States Congress, then in 
session at Philadelphia, selected this church for appropriate funeral services, and at- 
tended these in a body. 

115 



+. m . 

The first Theological Institution, which was, however, of a 
private character, was established in Philadelphia in 1785, by 
Drs. Helmuth and Schmidt. The first regularly organized 
theological school was Hartwick Seminary, in Otsego Co., New 
York, which was founded in 1816, and of which Rev. Dr. Hazelius 
was the first professor of theology. There are now twenty theo- 
logical institutions, the leading ones being that of the General 
Council at Philadelphia, of the Synodical Conference at St. 
Louis, Missouri, of the General Synod at Gettysburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, and of the General Synod (South) at Salem, Virginia. 
There are also sixteen colleges, twenty-three academies and fourteen 
seminaries for young ladies. The strength of the Lutheran 
Church in 1825 was, ministers 163, congregations 442, communi- 
cants 42,125. Twenty years later, in 1845, it had increased to 
538 ministers, 1307 congregations and 135,000 communicants. 
In the next seventeen years — by 1862 — the number of communi- 
cants had more than doubled. This number was again more 
than doubled by 1874, a period of twelve years, and at the present 
rate of increase the end of another decade (1891) will show the 
number once more doubled. The statistics for 1881, as given by 
the Church Almanac are, ministers 3,237, congregations 5,751, 
and communicants 969,492. 

The General Synod was organized at Hagerstown, Maryland, in 
1820. During the civil war in America (1862) the General 
Synod (South) was organized by synods formerly in connection 
with the General Synod. In 1867, the "General Council of 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America" was or- 
ganized at Reading, Pennsylvania, and held its first regular 
meeting the following year at Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1872, 
the Synodical Conference was organized, whilst there are a number 
of independent synods which are not connected with any general 
body. 

The Lutheran Church in America comprises many nationali- 
ties, the Gospel being preached in German English, Swedish, 

116 



►»♦ __ + s « 

Norwegian, Danish and Icelandic. The foreign missionary op- 
erations are mostly confined to India, although the General 
Synod also sustains a mission at Muhlenberg, West Africa. The 
first missionary, Rev. C. F. Heyer, sailed from Boston, October 
14th, 1841, and established the mission at Rajahmundry, India. 

The first Lutheran paper in America was called " Evangelisches 
Magazin," and published under the auspices of the Synod of 
Pennsylvania in 1811, being edited by Dr. Helmuth and Rev. 
Schmidt. There are now issued papers of all classes, eighty-two, 
30 English, 28 German, 14 Norwegian, 6 Swedish and 4 Danish. 

The first Orphans' Home w T as established at Zelienople near 
Pittsburg, by Dr. W. A. Passavant. The benevolent institutions 
of the Church now comprise 20 homes for orphans, 2 asylums for 
the aged and infirm, 7 hospitals, 1 deaf and dumb institute and 
6 emigrant missions. 

Dr. Henry Melchior Muehlenberg", Patriarch of the Lutheran Church 
in America, was born Sept. 6th, 1711, at Eimbeck, in Hannover, Germany. 
His father, Nicolaus Melchior Muhlenberg, intended giving him a classical 
education, and sent him when seven years of age to a German and Latin 
school. Soon after his twelfth year his father suddenly died, and although 
he was now compelled to earn a living by means of hard labor, he em- 
ployed every spare moment in reading. When twenty-one years of age he 
was no longer compelled to work in the evening. The time thus gained 
was used in taking private lessons in Latin and Greek. Soon afterwards he 
was again introduced into the Latin school, and as his income from labor 
ceased and no other means were at hand to pay his tuition, he was compelled 
Luther-like to join a boys' choir and sing before the houses of the wealthy, 
his fine tenor voice serving a very good purpose. On the 19th of March, 
1735, he entered the University of Gottingen. Through the influence of 
the theological lectures of Dr. Operin he was here truly awakened, and re- 
resolved to devote himself to theology. In 1738 he left Gottingen and came 
to Halle where he met Dr. Gotthelf August Francke, and was employed 
to teach in several departments of his institutions. In 1739 he was 
solemnly ordained to the office of the holy ministry and followed a call to 
Groszhennersdorf. In 1741, the call to labor among the scattered Lu- 
therans in Pennsylvania was tendered him by Dr. Francke. He accepted 
this call and on the 5th of April, 1742, took leave of his fatherland and be- 

♦ 117 A 

►»■♦■ » ■ »■ 



gan his journey to England, from whence, on the 12th of June, he set sail for 
America, where he arrived after a long, tedious and eventful voyage. On 
Sept. 23d he landed at Charleston, South Carolina. After spending some 
time with the Salzburgers at Ebenezer, Ga., he sailed, Nov. 12th, 1742, for 
Philadelphia, where he arrived on the 25th of the same month. He found 
the Church in a deplorable condition, but by his energy and zeal he brought 




Dr. H. M. Muhlenberg. 

about a better state of affairs. He had immediate charge of the churches 
at Philadelphia, New Hanover and Providence, but his labors extended to 
nearly all the Lutheran churches of his day, often making long and peril- 
ous journeys to gather the scattered flock, preach the Word and administer 
the Sacraments. Pie died in 1787, his death causing deep and wide-spread 
sorrow. Dr. Muhlenberg was a man of rare excellence and his influence 
was unbounded. 

In addition to the Lutheran Church, the Eeformed with its 
various denominational divisions, was at an early period estab- 
lished in America and spread rapidly, to which more special 
reference will be made under Religious Denominations. 

118 



4- 



33. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. 

In the course of time numerous denominations and sects sprang 
into existence among the Reformed, to the most prominent of 
which we briefly call attention. 

The Reformed Church in the United States, also called German 
Reformed Church, was founded by emigrants from Switzerland and the 
south-western part of Germany in which the Reformed existed. They 
originally settled in Pennsylvania. Their first minister was Rev. Geo. W. 
Weiss, who with four hundred members settled in Montgomery county, 
where a congregation was organized and the first church built. The real 
founder of the German Reformed Church in America was Rev. Michael 
Schlatter, who was sent to labor in America in 1746. In 1793 there were 
150 congregations, but only 22 ministers to supply their spiritual wants. 
In 1823 the number of ministers had increased to 82. In 1825 the first 
Theological Seminary was commenced at Carlisle, Pa., removed to York in 
1829, to Mercersburg in 1835 and finally established at Lancaster in 1871. 
The Reformed now have several colleges and theological institutions, the 
principal one being that at Lancaster, Pa. Their standard of doctrine is 
the " Heidelberg Catechism in its historical sense." They have a publica- 
tion house at Philadelphia, an orphans' home at Womelsdorf and recently 
established a mission in Japan with a Rev. Gring as the first missionary. 
They report for 1881, ministers, 762 ; congregations, 1403 ; communicants, 
161,002. The Reformed Church in America, also called the Dutch Re- 
formed Church, was originated by the early settlers from Holland. They 
adhere to the decrees of the Synod of Dort, promulgated in 1619. The de- 
nomination was organized, in what is now the lower part of New York 
city, in 1628 by Rev. Jonas Michaelius their first minister, some five years 
after the settlement was established. They warmly persecuted the Luth- 
erans who had settled among them but who would not forsake the faith of 
their fathers. They claim to have established the first day-school and the 
first theological seminary in this country. Their organization is, like their 
doctrine, Presbyterian. They are diligent in missionary enterprise. 

The United Evangelical Church is the outgrowth of the attempt to 
unite the Lutheran Church and the Reformed in Germany in 1817. It 
was organized at St. Louis in 1840, and is up to the present time exclu- 
sively German. Its system of doctrine is composed of Lutheran and Re- 
formed elements, more especially the latter. 

119 



The Episcopalians are a branch of the Eeformed, who have, however, 
retained numerous papistical elements. They ceased to be Romish with- 
out becoming thoroughly Protestant. They originated in England and 
there constitute the State Church. Their tenets were first properly defined 
in 1562 when the Thirty-nine Articles — the confession of faith of the Epis- 
copalians — were adopted. These articles are contained in "The Book of 
Common Prayer." Their ministry is composed of bishops, priests and 
deacons. There are three distinct tendencies or parties among them. The 
High Church party, which seems to have the vantage ground, has a very 
strong Roman Catholic tendency conforming more and more to papistical 
forms and usages; the Low Church party, which is more conservative and 
evangelical ; and the Broad Church party, which has a decided liberalistic 
and rationalistic tendency. The Reformed Episcopalians sprang into exist- 
ence in 1873. Their confessional principles are exceedingly lax, the de- 
nomination being mostly composed of "broad church" Episcopalians. 

The Presbyterians are in the main strict calvinists. They originated 
in Scotland, where they still constitute the State Church. Their founder 
was John Knox. More radical than the Episcopalians in England, the 
Scotch condemned the clerical robe (gown), making the sign of the cross, 
sponsors at baptism, forms of prayer, private baptism (Nothtaufe), con- 
firmation, and the observance of Church Festivals, etc., as relics of popery. 
They thought that by abolishing these things they could establish a pure 
church. There were many in the Church of England who held the same 
views, who struggled hard to reconstruct the whole anglican church. 
From this they were called — at first in derision — Puritans. There were 
different classes of Puritans, but all agreed in condeming the Episcopacy. 
A large number favored presbyterianism, i. e., the representation of congre- 
gations in Presbyteries, etc., by their delegated elders, of whom the minis- 
ter or "preaching elder" (the others being called "ruling elders") is 
always one. Another class desired that each congregation be independent 
and subject to no ecclesiastical authority, though bound by the law of Christ 
to be in fellowship with neighboring congregations. These were called 
Congregational ists. The Westminister Assembly met in 1643, when the 
Westminster Confession and the two Catechisms of the Presbyterians were 
adopted. The supreme council of the Presbyterians is, the General Assem- 
bly. The Presbyterians are divided into numerous sects, prominent among 
which are: The Presbyterian Church (North), The Presbyterian Church 
(South), the Cumberland Presbyterians, the United Presbyterians, the Re- 
formed Presbyterians, the Associate Reformed Presbyterians, etc. In quite 

120 



4. 



recent years a few German Presbyterian congregations have been founded, 
most of which make use either of the Lutheran or Reformed Catechism as 
may best suit their purpose, they practice confirmation and are supported 
by the English congregations. The Free Church of Scotland separated 
from the State Church in 1843. 

The Congregationalists or Independents are the descendants of the 
English Puritans. Robert Brown (1549 — 1630), of England, is, strictly 
speaking, the father of Congregationalism. Their distinctive principle is, 
that every congregation is entitled "to elect its own officers and manage 
all its own affairs, and to stand independent of and irresponsible to all 
authority, saving that of the supreme and divine head of the Church, the 
Lord Jesus Christ." Their first congregation in America was founded in 
Massachusetts (Pilgrim fathers) in 1620, being driven hither by the perse- 
cutions which they suffered in England, where they, however, in turn, be- 
came the persecutors of all whose faith differed from their own. The Bap- 
tists were banished, members of the Church of England were sent back 
again to England, and Quakers were maltreated by cutting off their ears, 
and three of them were hanged. They have various colleges and theologi- 
cal schools, the oldest of which is at Andover, Mass. 

Baptists. — The Baptists are, strictly speaking, the descendants of the 
Anabaptists of the Reformation period. In 1535 many of the Anabaptists 
who had taken refuge in Holland emigrated to England, where they took 
the name Baptists. Their doctrinal position is Calvinistic ; they reject in- 
fant baptism and practice immersion. Among all the different sects there 
are none so fanatical in their efforts at proselyting the members of other 
churches as the several socities of Baptists. The first Baptist congregation 
in the United States was founded by Rodger Williams at Providence, 
Rhode Island, in 1639. The Baptists are divided into numerous sects 
among which are Particular Baptists, who believe that Christ died only for 
an elect number ; General Baptists, who maintain that he died for all men ; 
English Baptists, whose order of government is the same as Congregational- 
ists ; Scotch Baptists, who insist upon a plurality of pastors in every church, 
all of which are in Great Britain. Among the minor Baptists sects in 
America are Free Will Baptists, which originated in New Hampshire, 
whose distinctive doctrinal views are : the free offer of salvation to all men 
and the freedom of the will (involving ability to accept or refuse Christ) ; 
Six Principle Baptists, which originated in Rhode Island in 1639. They 
are of the Arminian persuasion and their creed consists of the six prin- 
ciples as found in Heb. 6 : 1, 2 ; Anti Mission Baptists (also called Old 

121 



School), so-called from their opposition to missionary societies, Sunday 
schools, etc. ; Seventh-day Baptists, who like the Jews keep the seventh day 
in the week as the day of rest. These first appeared in America at New- 
port, Rhode Island, about 1671. Campbellites (Disciples of Christ) were 
organized in Western Pennsylvania in 1827, by Thomas Campbell, a 
former Presbyterian minister from Ireland. Their doctrinal position is 
very lax so that Rationalists, Pelagians and Unitarians can be consistent 
members of their denomination. Christian Connection, originally composed 
of seceders from the Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian Churches. They 
reject the doctrine of the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ, and hold that 
difference in theological views is no bar to church membership. The 
Winebrennerians (or as they now call themselves, Church of God) were 
founded in Pennsylvania in 1830 by John Winebrenner, a deposed Re- 
formed minister. The Winebrennerians have three positive Ordinances, 
immersion, feet washing and the Lord's Supper. Among the German Bap- 
tist societies are the Tunkers (Old Brethren), River Brethren, New Baptists, 
and a number of smaller sects. These generally wear plain clothing of a 
peculiar pattern, broadbrimmed hats and part their hair in the middle. 

Meiinonites are descendants of the Anabaptists at Munster. After 
that fanatical rabble had been dispersed, Menno Simon (formerly a Catholic 
priest) gathered the scattered members and organized them into a denom- 
ination. He drew up a distinct form of doctrine which differs only from 
that of the Reformed, in rejecting infant baptism and some minor points. 
He also forbade military and civil service and the oath, and introduced 
feet-washing. They are divided into numerous small sects, viz. : The Old 
Mennonites, the Amish — among whom the men also wear hooks and eyes on 
their clothing, and who until lately discarded separate houses for worship, — 
the Herrites — followers of a minister named Herr, — the Staufferites — follow- 
ers of a man named Stauffer, — the New Lights, etc., etc. .They nearly all, 
like the "Orthodox" Quakers, wear plain clothing of a peculiar pattern, 
and generally broad-brimmed hats. 

The Moravians (Herrnhuters) were organized into a distinct denomi- 
nation by Count Zinzendorf. They have adopted the name "Unitas 
Fratrum," — United Brethren — but are more generally known as Moravian 
Brethren. In 1722 a number of persons from Moravia and Bohemia (de- 
scendants from the Hussites), under the leadership of Christian David, 
sought a refuge from the persecutions to which they were subjected by the 
Roman Catholics, on the estates of Count Zinzendorf in Lausatia, Germany. 

122 



Uttering the words Ps. 84: 4, Christian David struck the axe into a tree 
which was cut down to build the first house near the " Hutberg." Soon the 
village of Herrnhut sprang up and became the centre of the society. — Zin- 
zendorf was born in 1700 at Dresden. He first pursued his studies at Halle 
and afterwards went to Wittenberg and studied law. In 1727 he gave up 
the legal profession and devoted himself to theology. In the meantime the 
society which had found a refuge on his estates increased by the addition of 
other Moravian exiles, to which were also added a great number from dif- 
ferent nationalities — Pietists, Separatists, Calvinists, Schwenkfeldians, etc., 
— who all sympathized with each other, and were agreed on one single 
point : their aversion to holding fast to the Lutheran Church and the con- 
gregation to which they belonged, under the excellent Pastor Rothe, of 
Berthelsdorf. Zinzendorf at first did not contemplate a separation from the 
Lutheran Church, but having such diverse elements to deal with, being an 
excellent organizer and also ambitious as a leader, he formed a constitution 
with old Moravian forms and names, on the basis of which the colony was 
now constituted. His Utopian idea was to unite all confessions into one 
grand society. As early as 1735 Moravian emigrants landed in Georgia, 
but five years afterwards they went to Pennsylvania, where they built the 
town of Bethlehem, which is their principal station in America. In 1742 
Count Zinzendorf was in Philadelphia and represented himself as Inspector 
of the Lutheran churches — a claim which gave not a little trouble to Dr. 
Muhlenberg upon his arrival near the close of the same year. The latter 
was compelled sharply to oppose him for his duplicity. Zinzendorf was 
the leader of the congregation ("Gemeine") until his death. In their 
earlier history, numerous fanatical extravagances prevailed. Their doc- 
trine is in the main Calvinistic, although in 1749 they adopted the Augs- 
burg Confession as a matter of policy, to obtain civil recognition in Germany. 
In America many of them no longer claim adherence to the Augsburg Con- 
fession. Dr. H. M. Muhlenberg said of them : — " In Russia they believe 
and live just like the Greek Church. When they are in Catholic countries, 
they believe and teach that which the Pope and the councils taught to 
their advantage. When they are in Switzerland, they live and believe 
according to the Synod of Berne. When they are in Sweden " (and we 
may add in Germany) "they conceal themselves behind the Augsburg 
Confession ; and when they have to do with the English, they just adapt 
themselves to the English articles," i. e., to the faith of the Episcopalians. 
They have Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons and Deaconesses. Their mission- 
ary activity is extraordinary, and at the present time they have missions 

123 



■**♦■ ' ■*-■♦ 

♦ ♦ 

in 17 provinces. In America they have : Ministers, 65; Congregations, 75; 
Members, 9,561. 

Methodists originated in the Church of England (Episcopal). The 
founder of Methodism was John Wesley, who studied at Oxford, and was 
ordained priest in 1728. — The living power of the Gospel had been para- 
lyzed in the English Episcopal Church. This led Wesley, even when yet 
at Oxford, to form a society with several friends, the object of which was 
to promote a pious life and good works. These united friends were in 
ridicule called Methodists, because they practiced piety in a methodical 
way. In 1732 George Whitefield joined Wesley in his labors. They did 
not at first desire to separate from the Episcopal Church, but rather wished 
to work in it as a spiritual leaven. Both Wesley and Whitefield labored 
in England and America with great zeal, often preaching in the open air 
to thousands of hearers. In 1738 Wesley organized a comprehensive reli- 
gious union, which, under the direction of a Conference, sent local and 
traveling preachers into all the world. This in reality marks the begin- 
ning of the Methodist denomination. A rupture took place as early as 
1741, Whitefield holding fast to the calvinistic doctrine of Predestination, 
whilst Wesley taught Arminianism. Their manner of worship, by picturing 
to men all the terrors of the law and all the horrors of hell, together with 
the " anxious bench," is well known. Many of them also hold the doctrine 
of perfect sanctification. The congregations are divided into classes, each 
of which is under the supervision of a Class-leader. They generally have 
camp-meetings during the summer season, which become the resort of many 
as a place for recreation, and to spend a holiday amid the lively scenes in 
the grove. With Methodists the itinerancy generally prevails, ministers 
as a rule not being permitted to remain over three years in one congre- 
gation ; there are, however, many exceptions. Like the Baptists, the 
Methodists are numerously divided, the most prominent being : Methodist 
Episcopal; Methodist Episcopal (South); the African M. E. ; the Methodist 
Protestant, organized in 1830, because they were opposed to the Episcopacy; 
Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America; Free Methodist, organized at 
Pekin, New York, in 1860; New Connection Methodists; Primitive Meth- 
odists, also called Ranters; Independent Methodists; Bible Christians, who 
seceded from the Wesleyans in 1815; Calvinistic Methodists, etc. Other 
Methodistic organizations are: The United Brethren in Christ (Otterbein- 
erians), founded by a Reformed preacher, Philip William Otterbein, in 
1760, in Lancaster Co., Pa.; The Albrights (Evangelical Association), 
founded by Jacob Albright also in Lancaster Co., Pa. He was not a Lu- 

124 - ^ 



theran minister, as some maintain, but a comparatively ignorant farmer, 
who had drifted entirely away from the Church in which, when a young 
man, he was confirmed. He was, in 1803, chosen by his adherents as their 
preacher. The most recent Methodistic extravagance is the "Salvation 
Army" laboring in the larger cities of England and America. The several 
Methodist societies rank next to the Baptists in their efforts at proselyting, 
sending so-called missionaries into the Evangelical States of Germany 
and Scandinavia, for the sake of enlarging their fold with the Lord's 
sheep. 

The Quakers originated in England about 1647. The originator of the 
Society was George Fox (1621-1691), a shoemaker, who possessed deep 
religious feelings, but discarded everything churchly, and held that the 
Holy Scriptures were not necessary to try men's religion, only the " inner 
light." The name Quakers was given to them in derision, they calling 
themselves " Friends." One of the most prominent Quakers was William 
Penn, who founded Pennsylvania two hundred years ago. The Quakers 
discard both Baptism and the Lord's Supper; neither do they have a regu- 
lar ministry, nor even hymns and music. They assemble for worship on 
"First Day" — as they call Sunday, — and sit in silence, the men generally 
keeping their hats on to show that the meeting-house should not be regarded 
as a more sacred place than any ordinary place of shelter. Thus they re- 
main seated until the Spirit moves some man or woman to speak. They 
regard the taking and administering of oaths and engaging in war as alto- 
gether contrary to the spirit of Christ. They generally wear plain clothing, 
and in addressing anyone use the pronoun " Thou " or " Thee " instead of 
" You." In the year 1827 Elias Hicks, of Long Island, N. Y., created a 
schism in the Society, by promulgating opinions denying the divinity and 
atonement of Christ, and also the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures. 
About half of the Society adopted these views, and are known as "Hicksite" 
Quakers, whilst the "Orthodox" hold fast to the original principles. A 
division afterwards occurred among the "Orthodox" friends, which resulted 
in the formation of a new sect called "Wilburites" (after John Wilbur), 
who are noted for their strictness in maintaining their old traditions. 

The Darbyites (Plymouth Brethren) sprang into existence about 1830- 
35 in Plymouth, Dublin and other places in Great Britain. Their origin- 
ator was a Mr. Darby, for a while a minister in the Church of England. 
They discard all church organizations, and recognize only individual 
Christians. These he sought to gather at Plymouth and to prepare them 
for the "Millennium." In 1840 Darby went to Lausanne, Switzerland, 

125 



from which place the sect spread to France, Holland and Germany. They 
recognize no office of the ministry. Their doctrines are generally calvinistic. 

The Irvingites were called into existence in 1832 by Rev. Edward 
Irving, a Scotch Presbyterian minister. They have assumed the title, the 
Catholic Apostolic Church. They allege that the extraordinary miraculous 
gifts possessed by the Apostles are continued throughout the whole present 
dispensation. They have four ministries, viz. : twelve Apostles, Prophets, 
Evangelists and Pastors, and profess to possess the gift of tongues and the 
power to perform miracles. They have a very elaborate Liturgy, many 
ceremonies and priestly vestments in their service. They have established 
themselves in the British Isles, Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, 
Scandinavia, Canada, the United States, etc. Their number is not large. 

The Mormons originated in America. The founder of this modern 
Mohammedanism was Joseph Smith, a man of very questionable character, 
who alleged that in 1828 he found the book of "Mormon" in the west side 
of a hill near Palmyra, Ontario Co., N. Y., being directed by the angel of 
the Lord. This book, he said, was engraved on plates of gold and con- 
tained the revelations of God. Beside it was an instrument called the 
"Urim and Thummim," in the shape of a pair of stone spectacles, by 
means of which he was able to translate the wonderful records. There are 
altogether eleven persons who alleged that they had seen the golden plates, 
among whom are the father and brothers of Smith, who, it must, however, 
be remembered, were accused of sheep-stealing and other nefarious prac- 
tices. There was not one unimpeachable witness who ever claimed to have 
seen the plates. The whole scheme was a most gigantic fraud. It has 
been conclusively proved that this book of " Mormon " is — excepting a few 
ungrammatical interpolations — nothing more nor less than a romance (a 
novel), written by a minister named Spaulding (died 1816), the manuscript 
of which was either stolen or in some other way came into the hands of 
Smith, who had been employed in the neighborhood of Rev. Spaulding's 
residence, but disappeared at the time when the manuscript was missed. 
Twelve years after Spaulding's death, Smith issued this novel as the " Book 
of Mormon." He soon found adherents and the "Church of Jesus Christ 
of Latter Day Saints" was organized. They first established themselves at 
Kirtland, Ohio, afterwards at Nauvoo, Ills., but finding these places un- 
tenable, because of the hostility which their rites, so antagonistic to true 
religious principles, called forth, they were compelled to move far beyond 
the bounds of civilization to Salt Lake Valley in Utah in 1847. They 
have many offices: Apostles, Prophets, Patriarchs, Evangelists, Bishops, 
126 



Elders, etc. Because of Polygamy these misguided people stand in conflict 
with the laws of the land. — An anti-polygamy party has separated from 
the original society. 

Arminians have derived their name from Jacob Arminius, Professor in 
Holland in 1603, who denied the calvinistic doctrine of election. They de- 
generated into the grossest rationalism. The sect itself is but small at the 
present day, but their false doctrine is widely disseminated. 

Socinians, Unitarians deny the doctrine of the Trinity and the vicari- 
ous death of Christ. The sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper 
are recognized, but only as external ceremonies. Laelius Socinus, of Tus- 
cany, was in reality their founder, but the doctrines did not gain much 
foothold until after his nephew, Socinus Faustus, began to disseminate his 
views in 1574. They hold that the Bible is not the Word of God, but it 
contains it. They reject original sin and will not believe any thing which 
seems to them contrary to human reason. Unitarian Societies are found on 
the continent of Europe, in Great Britain and America. Besides this their 
false doctrines are held by many Congregationalists, Baptists and members 
of other sects. The " Protestant Union " in Germany, and the " Protestant 
League," or German Rationalists, who are found principally in Pittsburg, 
Cincinnati and St. Louis are the legitimate offspring of the old Socinians. 

The Unitarians in America number, ministers, 400 ; congregations, 346. 

Adventists are a sect of Millenarians, called Millerites after William 
Miller (born in Mass., 1781), their founder, who began to preach in 1833, 
fixing the second coming of Christ and the end of the world in 1843. He 
had many adherents, chiefly from the more ignorant classes. Being often 
disappointed by Christ failing to come at the time appointed by them, they 
are dwindling away. 

Seventh-day Adventists are a sect similar to the foregoing, organized 
about 1844. They are known chiefly in Michigan where they have a col- 
lege and other institutions at Battle Creek. 

Universalists are such who do not believe in the eternal punishment 
of the wicked, but that eventually all will be saved. They were first or- 
ganized into a distinct religious sect by Rev. John Murray, of Gloucester, 
Mass., about the year 1780. They spread rapidly for a while, but now 
seem to be growing beautifully less. 

The Swedenborgians accept the writings of Emmanuel Swedenborg 
(born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1688, died in London, 1772,) as revelations 
from heaven. Swedenborg professed to have had dreams and visions, and 

127 



+■ 



to have been entranced where he discovered what was going on in Heaven 
and Hell, to which he claimed to have had free access. He rejected the 
doctrine of the Trinity, the Redemption work of Christ, Justification by 
faith, etc. Indeed, he attacked nearly every doctrine of the Church. It 
was not his intention to originate a sect, and the latter Was not organized 
until 1788, six years after his death, by Robert Hindmarsh, of London. Its 
members cannot be recognized as Christians, because they deny the funda- 
mental doctrines of Christianity. 

The Hoffinannites are adherents of the fanatical Christian Hoffmann, 
of Wiirttemberg, who founded this chiliastical sect in 1851, and conducted 
his followers to Palestine, where he desired to assemble the people of God. 
More recently this blind fanatic has shown himself a blasphemer of the 
doctrine of the Holy Trinity and of the redemption work of Christ. He 
has a few adherents in America. 



CONCLUSION. 

In the foregoing pages we have endeavored briefly to sketch 
the history of the Christian Church. At no time have the anti- 
theses — complete unbelief, bold rationalism, indecision and luke- 
warmness in faith and life on the one hand, and faithful adher- 
ence to God's Word on the other — been so sharply defined and 
opposed to each other as is the case at the present day. The 
prophesy of our Lord is being fulfilled, that as the end approaches 
many will fall away from the truth. But in spite of apostacy 
and unbelief the Church still remains. For nearly two thousand 
years she has existed, and has neither become old nor crumbling. 
In the course of these centuries empires and kingdoms have arisen 
and been overthrown, but the Church has remained unharmed. 
Though suffering at times, when it appeared as though she were 
forsaken and her vitality gone, she always renewed her youth 
and went forth with redoubled strength in the work for which 
God called her into being. All the persecutions, all the waves 
of destruction which beat upon her, were unable to blot out her 
existence. Planted like a small grain of mustard seed, she sprang 
up and has grown into a gigantic tree, spreading its branches 

128 



f 



♦ 

r 



over all the earth, feeding and refreshing all the weary and 
heavy-laden with its heavenly food : the Word and the Sacra- 
ments. Whatever storms may come in the future, however 
violently they may rage, one thing is certain : "The gates of hell 
shall not prevail against her," for the Lord of the Church is her 
Protector, and will permit neither His Word nor His Work to 
come to naught. The weapons with which she is assailed may 
be changed ; the order of battle may vary as far as human tactics 
and human wisdom are concerned, but above the clashing of 
arms there is One who directs the battle and who is sure of 
victory — He holds the field forever. And our prayer shall 
always be : 

Lord Jesus Christ with us abide, • 

For round us falls the eventide ; 
Nor let Thy Word, our glorious light, 
For us be ever quenched in night. 

In these last days of dire distress, 
Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness, 
That we Thy Word and Sacrament 
In purity keep until our end. Amen. 




9 129 

♦ 



THE THREE GENERAL CREEDS OF THE 
HOLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 



I. THE APOSTLES' CREED. 

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and 
earth. 

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord ; Who was con- 
ceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary ; Suffered 
under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead and buried ; He de- 
scended into hell ; The third day He rose again from the dead ; 
He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God 
the Father Almighty ; From thence He shall come to judge the 
quick and the dead. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost ; The holy Christian Church, the 
Communion of Saints ; The Forgiveness of Sins ; The Resurrec- 
tion of the body; And the Life everlasting. Amen. 



II. THE NICENE CREED. 

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven 
and earth, And of all things visible and invisible. 

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only begotten Son of God, 
Begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of 
Light, Very God of very God, Begotten, not made, Being of one 
substance with the Father, By whom all things were made ; Who, 
for us men, and for our salvation, came, down from heaven, And 
was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was 
made man ; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. 
He suffered and was buried ; And the third day He rose again 
according to the Scriptures ; And ascended into heaven, And 

130 






sitteth on the right hand of the Father; And he shall come 
again to judge both the quick and the dead ; Whose kingdom 
shall have no end. 

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord and Giver of Life, 
Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the 
Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who 
spake by the Prophets. And I believe one holy Christian and 
Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission 
of sins ; And I look for the Resurrection of the dead ; And the 
Life of the world to come. Amen. 



III. THE ATHANASIAN CREED. 

(Symbolum Quicunque.) 

1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary 
that he hold the true Christian faith. 

2. Which Faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, 
without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 

3. And the true Christian Faith is this : that we worship one 
God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity ; 

4. Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the sub- 
stance. 

5. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, 
and another of the Holy Ghost. 

6. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy 
Ghost, is all one : the Glory Equal, the Majesty Co-eternal. 

7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son : and such is the Holy 
Ghost. 

8. The Father uncreate, the Son uncreate: and the Holy 
Ghost uncreate. 

9. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible : 
and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible. 

10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal : and the Holy Ghost 
eternal. « 

131 



11. And yet they are not three Eternals : but one Eternal. 

12. As also there are not three incomprehensibles, nor three 
uncreated : but one Uncreated, and one Incomprehensible. 

13. So likewise the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty : 
and the Holy Ghost Almighty. 

14. And yet they are not three Almighties : but one Almighty. 

15. So the Father is God, the Son is God: and the Holy 
Ghost is God. 

16. And yet they are not three Gods : but one God. 

17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord : and the 
Holy Ghost Lord. 

18. And yet not three Lords : but one Lord. 

19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity : to 
acknowledge every Person by Himself to be God and Lord ; 

20. So are we forbidden by the Christian Religion: to say, 
There be three Gods, or three Lords. 

21. The Father is made of none : neither created nor begotten. 

22. The Son is of the Father alone : not made, nor created, 
but begotten. 

23. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son ; neither 
made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 

24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers ; one Son, not 
three Sons ; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. 

25. And in this Trinity none is before or after other ; none is 
greater or less than another ; 

26. But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together, and 
co-equal : 

27. So that in all things, as is aforesaid : the Unity in Trinity, 
and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 

28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the 
Trinity. 

29. Furthermore, it is necessary to Everlasting Salvation: 
that we also believe rightly the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. • 

132 

. ♦*•« 

t 



30. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess : that 
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man ; 

31. God, of the Substance of the Father, begotten before the 
worlds : and Man of the substance of His mother, born into the 
world ; 

32. Perfect God, and perfect Man : of a reasonable soul and 
human flesh subsisting. 

33. Equal to the Father, as touching His Godhead ; and in- 
ferior to the Father, as touching His Manhood. 

34. Who although He be God and Man : yet He is not two, 
but one Christ. 

35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into human flesh : 
but by taking the Manhood into God. 

36. One altogether ; not by confusion of Substance : but by 
Unity of Person. 

37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man : so God 
and Man is one Christ ; 

38. Who suffered for our salvation : descended into hell, rose 
again the third day from the dead. 

39. He ascended into heaven ; He sitteth on the right hand of 
the Father, God Almighty : 

40. From whence He shall come to judge the quick and the 
dead. 

41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies : 

42. And shall give account for their own works. 

43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting : 
and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. 

44. This is the true Christian Faith, which except a man be- 
lieve faithfully, he cannot be saved. 







133 






INDEX. 



Adventists, . . . 127 

Albigenses, 52 

Albrecht of Mainz, 63 

Ambrose, St., 34 

Anabaptists, 79, 121 

Andrew, The Apostle 6 

Ansgar, St., 41 

Antonius, St., 36 

Apollos, 11 

Apostles, The Twelve, 5 

Arius, 32 

Arminians, 127 

Arndt, John 83 

Athanasius, 32, 37 

Augsburg Confession, 71 

" Peace of, 81 

Augustine, St., 33 

Baptists, 121 

Origin of, ...... 80 

Barnabas, St., 10 

Bartholomew, St., 7 

Basil the Great, 36 

Bernhard of Weimar, 89 

Bible, The English, 70 

" The German, 69 

Blandina, 22 

Bogatzky, C. H. von, 102 

Bohemia, 84 

Boniface (Pope), 48 

Bonifacius, St., 39 

Book of Concord, 83 

Breitenfeld, Battle of, 85 

Brenz, John, 81 

Bugenhagen, John, 80 

Calvin, John, 76, 77 

Campanius, John, .... 107, 112 

Canstein, Baron von, 100 

Carlstadt, 79 

Catechism, Luther's, ..... 69 

for Delaware Indians, 112 

Charles V., Emperor, 65 

134 



Charles the Great, 47 

Christian Love, 28 

" Name, ....... 12 

" Symbols, 28 

" _ Teachers, 27 

Christians, Simplicity of, . . . 11 

Chrysostom, 35 

Church Song, 90 

Clovis, 38 

Columbanus, 38 

Constantine the Great, .... 29 

Controversies, 32 

Corbinian, 39 

Covenant of Salt, 104 

Cruciger, C, 81 

Crusades, 48 

Crypto-Calvinism, 83 

Cyrillus, 24 

Darbyites, 125 

Decius, Nicholas, 93 

Eastern Church, Separation of, 47 

Eber, Paul, 93 

Edict of Restitution, 85 

Egede, Hans, 107 

Eliot, John .107 

Emmeran, 39 

Episcopalians, 120 

Errors of Eome, 47 

Fanatics, . 79 

Flemming, Paul, 95 

Formula of Concord, 83 

France, Reformation crushed out 78 

Francke, A. H., 100, 101 

Frank, John, 97 

Frederick IV., of Denmark, . .105 
Frederick V., Elector, .... 84 
Fridolin, 39 

Gallus, 38 

General Council, 116 



Gerhardt, Paul, 95, 96 

Germany, Gospel in, 37 

Godfrey of Bouillon, 50 

Gothic' Bible, 37 

Graumann, Dr. John, 92 

Gregory VII. (Pope), 48 

Gustavus Adolphus, . . 85, 86, 88 

Harms, Louis, 108 

Heermann, John, 95 

Hedinger, Dr. J. E., 103 

Helena, The Empress, .... 29 

Helmbold, Ludwig, 94 

Herberger, Valerius, 94 

Hermann, Nicholas, 93 

Hermits, 36 

Heyer, C. R, 117 

Hildebrand (Pope), 48 

Hoffmanites, 128 

Huguenots, 78 

Huss, John, 55 

Hussites, The, 58 

Hymn Book, The, 70, 90 

Hymns, Influence of, 91 

Ignatius, 19 

Indulgences, 62, 63 

In Jesus' wounds, 94 

Interim, The, 81 

Irvingites, .......... 126 

James, The Elder, 6 

" The Less 6 

Jerome, 34 

Jerome of Prague, 58 

Jerusalem, Destruction of, . . . 12 

Jesuits, 79, 84 

John Mark, 10 

John, The Apostle, ...... 6 

Jonas, Justus, 80 

Jude, The Apostle 7 

Julian the Apostate, 31 

Kaaba, 45 

Kilian, 39 

Laurentius, 23 

Lech, Battle on the, 86 

Leo X. (Popej, 62 



Liberty secured "forever," . . 87 

Lutzen, Battle of, ...... 86 

Luke, St., 10 

Luther, Dr. Martin, 59 

Luther's Domestic Life, .... 73 

" Death, 75 

Magdeburg, The Sacking of, . . 88 
Marburg, The Colloquy at, . . 76 

Marsden, Samuel, 107 

Massacres and Fanaticism, . . 78 

Massacre of Thorn, 103 

Matthew, The Apostle, .... 7 

Matthesius, John, 93 

Matthias, St., 7 

Mecca, 45 

Melanchthon, Philip, . . . . 72, 80 

Mennonites, 122 

Methodists, 124 

Ministerium of Pa 114 

ofN. Y., .... 115 

Missions, 104 

Mohammed, 42 

Moravians, 122 

Mormons, 126 

Muhlenberg, Dr. H. M., . 113, 117 
Minister, Anabaptists in, ... 79 

Miinzer, Thomas, 79 

Myconius, Frederick, 80 

Nero, 17 

Nestorius, 32 

Neumark, George, 97 

Mcolai, Philip, 94 

Orders of Monks, 37 

Pancratius, 25 

Papacy, The, 45 

Pappenheim, General, .... 89 

Paul, St., The Apostle, .... 7 

Peasant War, 79 

Pelagius, 33 

Perpetua, 22 

Persecutions, 16, 18 

Persecution, The last, 25 

Peter of Amiens, 49 

Peter, St., The Apostle, .... 6 

Philip, St., The Apostle, ... 7 

135 



♦ 
-•-»-< 






Philip, The Deacon, 11 

Phoebe, 11 

Pillar Saints, 36 

Pipin, 46 

Pliitschau, Henry, 105 

Polyearp, 20 

Pothinus, 21 

Presbyterians, 120 

Protestants — Name, 71 

Strictures on civil 

rights of, 84 

Protestant League, 84 

Quakers, . 125 

Rambach, John J., 102 

Rationalism, 110 

Reformation, 59 

Reformed, The, 76,119 

Ringwaldt, B., 94 

Rinkart, Martin, 95 

Rist, John, 95 

Rupert, 39 

Sachs, Hans, 92 

Salzburgers, Banishment of, . . 103 

Sanctus, 22 

Schmidt, George, 107 

Schneesing, John, 93 

Schwabach Articles, ..... 72 

Schwarz, Ch. F., 105,106 

Selnecker, Nicholas, 94 

Seminaries, Theological, . . .116 
Seventh-day Adventists, . . .127 

Severinus, 39 

Silas, 10 

Simon, St., The Apostle, ... 7 

Smalcald League, 81 

Socinians, 127 

Spain, 79 

Spalatin, 80 

Spener, Philip Jacob, . . . 99, 100 
Spengler, Lazarus, ...... 81 



Speratus, Paul, 81 

Speyer, Diet at, 71 

Stegman, Joshua, 95 

Swedenborgians, 127 

Sweden, The Reformation in, . 78 
Swedes on the Delaware, . . .112 

Symeon Stylites, 36 

Synod, General, 116 

Sy nodical Conference, . . . .116 

Tetzel, John, 63 

Theses, Luther's 95, 64 

Thomas, St., The Apostle, ... 7 

Thurn, Count, 84 

Tilly, General, .... 85, 88, 89 

Timothy, 10 

Titus,. . . # 10 

Torgau Articles, 72 

Trajan (Emperor), 19 

Ulfjlas, 37 

Union, The Prussian, Ill 

Unitarians, 127 

United Evangelical, 119 

Universalists, 127 

Vespasian, 17 

Von Staupitz, 61 

Waldenses, 51 

Waldus, Peter, 52 

Wallenstein, General, . . 85, 86, 89 

Wartburg, 67 

Westphalia, Peace of, . . . . . 86 
Weissenberg, Battle of, ... . 85 

Willibrord, 39 

Woltersdorf, E. G., 103 

Worms, Diet at, 65 

Wyckliffe, 53 

Ziegenbalg, B., 105 

Zwickau Prophets, 69, 79 

Zwingli, U. ; 76, 77 



136 




mm 



m 



IK 

s&fift 






MUX 



SKWffl 



srKfiG 




$ 






In 



Mil IllSIilll 1 




■ 



